TORONTO ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL (June 9-12, Bloor Cinema)
Rating: NNNNN
The Italian Film Festival has been presenting Italian cinema and lavish cocktail parties for the past seven years.
This year brings a lifetime achievement award for actor Nick Mancuso and an appearance by musical star Romina Power, plus 10 feature films, including Ora O Mai Piu (Now Or Never, Sunday, June 12, 6 pm, rating: NNN), a coming-of-age story set in the heady days of student protest leading up to the tragic 2001 G8 summit in Genoa.
Davide is an introverted physics student, wrapped up in his studies, oblivious to everything except his work and his attraction to Viola, a fascinating young activist. Drawn into her left-wing youth group, he soon abandons his exams in order to squat in an abandoned building, participate in direct action and get beaten up by the cops. Now Or Never takes an affectionate, nostalgic look at the big-protest days of the anti-globalization movement without sugar-coating either the students’ occasional fecklessness or the police’s brutal excess.
Two weeks ago I referred to the fledgling Toronto Festival of Italian Cinema as Toronto’s first-ever Italian film festival. My apologies to the Toronto Italian Film festival, which has a strong seven-year history presenting Italian movies to T.O. audiences.
For full festival listings, see the Italian Film Festival, this page.
