PASSION, style, romance and intrigue.

No, we’re not talking about the upcoming council elections, but the Italian Film Festival in Fremantle.

The French do moody, the Brits do quirky and the Scandis do noir, but you can’t beat the Italians for La Dolce Vita.

The festival kicks off with the box-office smash SOMEBODY TO LOVE, a rom-com with an all-star cast including Edoardo Leo, Pilar Fogliati and Vittoria Puccini. 

Following the success of Perfect Strangers, writer/director Genovese’s latest film reveals the innermost thoughts and uncertainties of a modern Italian couple on their awkward first date.

Recently separated philosophy professor and father-of-one Piero (Edoardo Leo) has arrived for dinner at the home of Lara (Pilar Fogliati), a talented furniture restorer, who has recently ended her relationship with a married man.

As the evening evolves, their hidden desires and quirks gradually come to light, along with their hearts’ unmistakable desire to find a perfect match.

Effortlessly blending charm and comedy, the film was Italy’s number one box office hit this year. 

Bullying

If you fancy something with a bit more meat on the bone, then check out THE BOY WITH PINK TROUSERS, which features rising star Samuele Carrino in a poignant performance.

Exploring the real story behind Italy’s first publicised case of online bullying, the film sparked important discussions about the issue and became a cultural touchpoint.

Loosely adapted from a book by Andrea’s mother Teresa Manes (Claudia Pandolfi), who has since become an anti-bullying advocate, the film portrays the tragic true story of 15-year-old Andrea Spezzacatene (Samuele Carrino).

Andrea is a gifted student and a talented singer who longs to make friends and fit in at his new school. But he soon falls prey to Christian, a charming student with a darker side. Then, when a laundry mishap causes his new red trousers, a gift from his mother, to turn pink in the wash, events take a turn for the worse as school bullying intensifies.

Touching on bullying, homophobia and intolerance, the film is a thought-provoking watch.

If you feel like something a bit lighter in tone, then go and see WHEN MUM IS AWAY…WITH THE IN-LAWS.

The third in a comedy trilogy, Fabio De Luigi and Valentina Lodovini return as Carlo and Giulia Rovelli and this time, the family is heading to sunny Puglia, where their eldest daughter, eighteen-year-old Camilla, is moving to attend university with her boyfriend, Antonio Paradiso.

However, Carlo is not ready to let go of his firstborn – especially if it means having her live with a young man he does not trust at all.

Amid theft, lies, culture clashes, romantic escapades, and a series of hilarious misunderstandings, only time will tell whether the Rovellis and the Paradisos will remain at odds or become one big family.

It’s a lighthearted affair that all the family will enjoy.

Lies

If you like a good old historical drama, then check out NAPOLI: NEW YORK.

In 1949, the Italian city of Naples lies in ruins after the devastation of WW II. Amidst the poverty and rubble-strewn streets of the city, two children, Carmine and Celestina, try to survive as best they can by helping each other. Like so many others, they dream of going to America.

After a chance encounter with a steamship’s chef, one night, they secretly stow themselves away on a ship bound for New York to reach Celestina’s sister, who emigrated to America several years earlier.

On board, Carmine and Celestina join the many Italian emigrants seeking a new, better life in America. On the run from the Italian purser (Pierfrancesco Favino), the pair eventually arrive in an unknown metropolis, which, after several misadventures, they eventually learn to call home.

The film won several festival awards and is a compelling and hopeful coming-of-age story about dreams and disillusionment.

The Chook loves a spy thriller, so we will be flapping our wings and going to see THE NEGOTIATOR.

Starring Claudio Santamaria and Sonia Bergamasco, it follows the 28 days leading up to the tragic events of March 4, 2005, when SISMI senior military intelligence officer Nicola Calipari (Santamaria) sacrificed his life in Baghdad.

He died during an operation to free the journalist Giuliana Sgrena of “il manifesto”, who had been kidnapped by terrorists in Iraq.

As SISMI’s deputy director of operations and head of ops in Iraq in the early 2000s, Calipari played a crucial role in operations in Iraq, safeguarding human life and keeping the peace.

Sacrifice

The film was made possible by the Calipari family, who approved the screenplay and participated in filming.

Supported by the National Security Authority of the Prime Minister’s Office during development, the film pays tribute to his memory and the sacrifice that earned Calipari the Gold Medal for Military Valour.

The ST. ALi Italian Film festival 2025 is at Luna on SX in Fremantle and Luna Leederville from September 25 to October 22. For more details and full programme see lunapalace.com.au.