We’re in luck this week! We have a new What I Watched Last Night from the very successful blogger Melissa Muldoon. Her Diario di una Studentessa Matta is an absolute “must read” for those of you who love Italy and the Italian language.
CHECK OUT DIARO DI UNA STUDENTESSA MATTA
This week Melissa watched “È Nata Una Star?”, from director Lucio Pellegrini. The “star” in this comedy is played by young Pietro Castellito, son of Sergio Castellito and Margaret Mazzantini.
È Nata Una Star?, 2012
Director: Lucio Pellegrini
Writers: Lucio Pellegrini, Massimo Gaudioso
Stars: Luciana Littizzetto, Rocco Papaleo, Pietro Castellitto
From Melissa, who loves “exploring life in Italy & flexing Italian language skills one blog at a time (by a crazy language student)”.
Ciao! I’m Melissa, la studentessa matta – the crazy language student AND the woman behind the STUDENTESSA MATTA INITIATIVE (www.studentessamatta.com).
I promote the study of the Italian Language & Culture AND now organize Language Immersion trips in Italy. I write the Matta blog in Italian & English to explore all aspects of Italian culture & current events in a light and humorous way. Posts also provide useful information for the studying and acquiring of the language.
“Matta” Italian Language & Cultural Immersion Trips
I also organize trips to Italy to study the language and to dive deeper into Italian culture. I work with Italian partners, schools and event planners to provide customized learning opportunities. These trips are designed so language learners can meet locals, converse with them, as well as experience Italy as an insider does, seeing things and taking part in activities that only Italian friends can show you.
http://www.studentessamatta.com/italian-trips/
Both trips are open to beginners as well as advanced students. In 2014 I have two trips to Italy planned. I invite you join me in Italy this year!
Lucca in Tuscany: June 1st-12th 2014 – Organized with Lucca Italian School
http://www.studentessamatta.com/cultural-language-immersion-lucca-italian-school/
Arezzo in Tuscany: August 23-30 2014 – Organized with Tenuta Lupinari & private instructors: http://www.studentessamatta.com/matta-tenuta-lupinari-language-cultural-immersion/
Here is what I actually watched last night!
Last night I watched “È nata una star?” a 2006 film directed by Lucio Pellegrini. But, don’t confuse this film with “È nata una stella / A Star is Born” the 1954 film staring Judy Garland (for which she received the Oscar nomination for best actress). This film stars instead the funny and quirky comedic actress Luciana Littizzetto and co-stars Rocco Papaleo and Pietro Castellitto. The film is based on an original short story “Not a Star” written by Nick Hornby, an English novelist. It is a bit unusual that a famous English writer would have his novel adapted first in Italy or abroad. But it seems that Italians are taking advantage of this as seen in the adaptations of “Benvenuti al sud” an Italian remake of a French film and “La peggior settimana della mia vita” an Italian film based on the British sitcom.
“È nata una star?” is a comedy and yet, it is also a poignant film. It is a funny and frank story about a mother (Lucia) who discovers that her seemingly, nondescript and talentless nineteen year old son (Marco) actually does have quite a large and hidden “talent”. Out of the blue she receives a package delivered by a nosey neighbor which contains a porn film featuring her son as the star of the film. A rapid screening of the film reveals that Lucia’s son is quite a terrible actor, however his acting skills are overshadowed and compensated by his being… ahem…quite magnificently well endowed. This of course sets into motion a series of comic events and tender scenes, in which Lucia and her husband Fausto must come to terms with the situation and for a while their world is turned completely upside. This bit of news manages to alter, not only Lucia’s relationship with and perception of her son, but other key relationships in her life as well, including her relationships with her dead father and the porn star’s” twin who died at birth. The story is very much about the importance we assign to the events in our lives and where we turn to discover comfort, peace and meaning.
I picked up this movie in the Rome airport on my way out of town last fall. Truthfully, I had no idea what the movie was about, except that on the cover was la Littizzetto and I thought it would be a fun comic romp. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the film. Perhaps it is because that like Lucia I am a mother to a couple of boys and I am always trying to find a balance and keep things in perspective as my kids discover their own paths. Not that any of them are on the path to becoming porn stars, mind you…but in the grander scheme of things, we must decide how much importance to assign to the big things and “not sweat the small stuff” so much.
Last night I was in the mood for a light film and this film did not disappoint. It was not too “dark” or intense or full of great angst. I also liked the set decoration and the secondary characters and the fact that although Luciana Littizzetto, who is known for her rapid speech, colloquialisms and colorful swearing, played a very sympathetic character and her dialogue was remarkably easy to follow and understand! I also enjoyed Fausto’s dance scene to one of Mina’s songs. Perhaps there could have been a bit more character development and perhaps it was a bit corny, but in the end I found it to be an enjoyable comedy, that kept my interest until the very end.
I Love Italian Everything 