Penelope Cruz, one of New Plaza Cinema‘s “heroines” for her Oscar-nominated performance in Parallel Mothers, is showcased in the new Italian film L’Immensita, an addition to this weekend’s program. Its director, Sicillan native Emanuele Crialese studied at NYU Film School and his previous US releases, Respiro (2002) and Golden Door (2006) provided vibrant starring roles for Valeria Golino and Charlotte Gainsbourg, respectively.
In L’immensita, per NY Times reviewer Beatrice Loayza, “Cruz is a vision of tragic beauty when she first appears…the camera captures her in adoring closeup as it grazes over her eyes…Her character, Clara, is an ordinary upper middle class mother of three, but in the mind of her eldest, Andrew, she’s a goddess akin to the nation’s great stars, like Monica Vitti and Sophia Loren.”
In a narrative reportedly drawn from director Crialese’s own life, Andrew, designated female at birth but firmly convinced — despite opposition from most of his family — that he is a man, forms an immutable bond with his mother. Each in their deeply yearning way, amid the social strictures of 1970s Italy, feel they are marginalized — outcasts in their own lives.
And not insignificantly, this film marks a rare soundtrack appearance by one of the great pop songs of the Sixties: Se Telefonando, in Mina Mazzini’s original performance with its legendary arrangement by Ennio Morricone. That alone is worth the price of admission…
It will be a “double Nouvelle Vague” weekend at the cinema. On Sunday afternoon Max Alvarez and I will host a rare theatrical screening of Eric Rohmer’s masterful My NIght at Maud’s. We’ve also had numerous requests for an “encore” of Agnes Varda’s Cleo From 5 to 7, which will be presented on Friday afternoon.
We’ll be continuing, after strong word-of-mouth response from last weekend’s audiences, the beautiful Belgian-Italian epic The Eight Mountains and incisive French drama Other People’s Children, along with “last chance” screenings of the searing Romanian drama R.M.N. and the Hungarian Those Who Remained.
Finally, here’s a preview of coming attractions for next weekend’s Friday-Monday Memorial Day schedule:
