>Meet Me At The Cleveland Film Festival

Everybody’s got their plane tickets for Cleveland (Ohio, USA, that is)? The 35th Cleveland International Film Festival starts March 24 and there will be quite a few international movies. Of the six that are listed as “Italian” only two are in the Italian language and one I already own (the 2010 Basilicata Coast to Coast with Alessandro Gassman and Giovanna Mezzogiorno).

Basilicata Coast to Coast

I’ve bought tickets for “Febbre Da Fieno” (Hayfever), written and directed by Laura Luchetti, who began her career in film in the US and England as a production assistant and was Russell Crowe’s assistant for three years. She says that “Hayfever” is full of realism and surrealism, and since she lived for 15 years in the Anglo-Saxon world it’s similar to American and British independent films. Everybody seems to agree that it is not the usual Italian movie, and the reviews in Italy were good. (It was shown in Italian theaters January 2011 and not yet available in DVD).

Set in Rome, it’s the story of young people, a thrift shop, the “ponentino” (westerly sea breezes), and the love vibes they supposedly carry with them. It stars Andrea Bosca (who was in Noi Credevamo), Diane Fleri (I Am Love), and Giulia Michelini, who I’ve seen in a ton of things like “Immaturi”, “Cado Dalle Nubi”, and “Ricordati Di Me”.

I’ll be at the Sunday matinee if anyone wants to meet me for a drink afterwards – I’m sure the tickets are selling like hotcakes, so order now!

Febbre da Fieno

Here’s a link for the festival – CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL and benvenuti a Cleveland!