And other things to do in this cold, cold January
Salve ragazzi,
Do you know what might be the hardest thing about learning to speak Italian? THE PREPOSITIONS! 😳
But let me tell you a little story. Once, while studying the language in Rome, I made friends with a family that had a great little restaurant right across from my apartment building. I used to sit at their family table and have dinner, and they would “help” me with my homework. Guess what? They weren’t very good at prepositions either. I actually did better when I did it myself.
There’s not much rhyme or reason with prepositions, so you have to kind of memorize.
We all know “per,” as in “per favore,” please. “Per” in Italian means “for,” and so many common expressions use it.
One of my favorites: Per Sempre – Forever.
Ti amerò per sempre. “I will love you forever,” or “I will always love you.”
How about a few more?
Per Sbaglio
This one is tricky. It’s got the dreaded “sb” and “gl” combinations, so I’d better let you hear a native speaker say it. GO TO: How To Pronounce Sbaglio
Scusa! Ho preso per sbaglio il tuo ombrello. Sorry! I took your umbrella by mistake.
“Per piacere” doesn’t just mean “please.” You can also use it like this. If someone asks you, “Perchè impari l’italiano?”(Why are you learning Italian?” You can answer, “Per piacere!” For pleasure!
Per Caso Sai, per caso, come si arriva al museo? Do you know, by chance, how to get to the museum?
This brings up another can of worms. Use conoscere instead of sapere if you mean to ask if the person knows of something. Conosci il museo? Do you know the museum? Sì! Lo Conosco bene. Yes! I know it well.
Ma questa è un’altra storia! That’s another story!
_____
Notizie Film – Film News
Here’s how to watch the Italian selection at the Sundance Film Festival in the comfort of your own home!
GEN_ is a documentary that, frankly, I know nothing about but will be available January 30, 2025 10:00 AM EST.
Dr. Bini sees patients at a public hospital in Milan, where he specializes in helping parents with in vitro fertilization and people reconciling their bodies with their gender identities — all under a conservative government and a market eager to commodify bodies. Directed by Gianluca Matarrese, who co-wrote the film with Donatella Della Ratta.
Runtime: 104 minutes. Language, Italian
Coming To A Theater Near You
VERMIGLIO
a film by Maura Delpero
The lush and breathtaking beauty of the Alps, filmed with painterly grace under natural light from frigid winter to redemptive spring, provides the physical and emotional backdrop for Vermiglio, Maura Delpero ‘s visionary film, which won the Silver Lion at the 2024 Venice Film Festival. This singular portrait of a sprawling family, set in the small, mountainous village of Vermiglio during the waning days of WWII, follows a series of dramatic, consequential events after the arrival of a taciturn Sicilian soldier (Giuseppe De Domenico,) who hides out in the town after deserting the army. While there, the soldier develops a romance with the family’s eldest daughter, Lucia (Martina Scrinzi.) Vermiglio shows the lives of a provincial family in a remote village suspended in time by the customs of a fading era.
Conjuring stories from her own family’s past, Delpero creates a deep personal and human tale that recalls the great neorealist movement in Italian cinema, but through Lucia’s perspective Vermiglio feels distinct and novel.
Italy’s Official Selection for the 2025 Academy Awards.
2025 Golden Globe Nominee, Best International Film
2025 Gotham Awards Nominee, Best International Film
Official Selection, 2025 Venice Film Festival
Opens in Theaters
December 25, 2024
New York City – IFC Center
January 3, 2025
Los Angeles – LAEMMLE ROYAL
Chicago – Gene Siskel Film Center
January 17, 2025
Cincinnati – Mariemont
Columbus, OH – Gateway Film Center
January 24, 2025
Santa Barbara – SBIFF Film Center
Louisville – Speed Art Museum
Atlanta – The Tara
January 31
Cleveland – Cleveland Cinematheque
I’ll let you know more cities when I know more.
Mark your calendars
Italian Film Festival USA will offer fantastic and not readily available Italian films from March 28–April 27, 2025. Please contact Barbara at info@italianfilmfests.org to ensure you are on the mailing list and get codes for an online edition.
Remember, if there is an online edition this year, you have to live in one of the metro areas to watch. Boulder, Detroit, Kansas City, Pittsburg, St. Louis, Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, Portland, Memphis, Minneapolis, Phoenix and Milwaukee.
Hey Grandma, what are you cooking today?
@thespicynonna
You’ve got to follow this adorable Nonna, Nina – @thespicynonna and her husband, Pasquale, from Abruzzo on YouTube! Nina tells us how to make Italian soups, pastas, and vegetables, and Pasquale walks us through making homemade wine. Just being with her in her kitchen is so much fun, and as her grandson says, “If you miss your grandparents,” you can borrow his.
She inspired me to make green beans like this, and it’s true – easy and delicious!
Oh, and TANTI AUGURI di Buon Compleanno to my favorite actress, Margherita Buy!
Alla prossima!
Un bacione 💋,
Cheri
America’s Favorite Italian Wannabe
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