Bruno

This Year's Event is Dedicated to the Italian-American Filmmaker

Francis Ford Coppola on the Occasion of His 80^th Birthday

Legendary masters of cinematic arts Bernardo Bertolucci and Paolo and Vittorio Taviani will be celebrated at the 2019 ‘’Los Angeles, Italia - Film Fashion & Art Festival’’ launches here one night before the Academy Awards®. The Annual event, at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood, will be inaugurated on Sunday Feb 17 with the special screening of the Taviani bros. latest lovie The Lark Farm introducer by actor Alessandro Preziosi and will be closed on Saturday Feb 23 with the special screening of the controversial Bertolucci’s ‘Last Tango In Paris” starring Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider.

The opening night of the Festival will also focus the attention on two iconic actors, the American Andy Garcia and the Italian Franco Nero, will be honored with ‘L.A., Italia Legend Awards’. That same evening, the 14^th annual Festival, chaired by former TV Academy CEO Hayma Washington, with the noted actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta (Il Postino) and the director and producer Iginio Straffi (who is known for being the founder and CEO of Rainbow S.p.A., as well as the creator of its most famous creation, the Winx Club TV series, serving as presidents), will also honor “Sopranos” actors Michael Imperioli and Joe Pantoliano in celebration of the hit HBO series’ 20^th anniversary, Oscar-nominated song writer Diane Warren (Best Original Song, “I’ll Fight Back” from “RBG”), along with Oscar nominees Florian Von Donnersmarck (Best Foreign Language Film, “Never Look Away”), Alan Murray, Tom Ozanich, Jason Ruder and Dean Zupancic (Best Sound Editor and Sound Mixers for “A Star Is Born”).

L.A., Italia 2019, which runs through February 23^rd, showcases an exciting array of diverse contemporary Italian motion pictures will officially open with the World Premiere of ‘’Amazing Leonardo,’’ directed by Jesus Garces Lambert, a new biopic about Leonardo Da Vinci, in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the artist’s death (May 2, 1519). As well as the World Premiere of “Leonardo 500,” directed by Francesco Invernizzi it is a journey to discover the thought and the scientific heritage of the Renaissance genius and to better understand how his intuitions find their application in contemporary society.

The Festival will also be celebrating the Italian region of Matera which has been designated the 2019 European Capital of Culture with the U.S. premiere of “Mathera,” directed by Invernizzi and Vito Salinaro. It also happens to be where Francis Ford Coppola’s family has its roots and thus perfectly melds with the celebration of the iconic Italian-American filmmakers 80^th birthday celebration.

The opening day program also includes director Alessandro Genovesi’s latest comedy ‘’When Mom is Away’’ and the World Premiere of “Everything’s Going Smooth” directed by Igor Maltagliati starring Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Ivano Marescotti and Piero Maggiò,

 The 14^th Annual Los Angeles, Italia Film, Fashion and Art Fest is presented by the Capri in the World Institute under the auspices of the Italian Consulate General in Los Angeles with the ongoing support of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Activities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SIAE, ANICA, the Italian Trade Commission and the Italian Cultural Institute/Los Angeles, as well as Intesa Sanpaolo, Rainbow, Campari, Isaia, Rai Com and Rai Cinema, Medusa, Mediaset Italia Ambi and TaTaTu.

“We are extremely proud to be honoring so many highly talented Italian filmmakers and performing artists along with their Italian-American counterparts,” said L.A., Italia Festival founder and producer Pascal Vicedomini and honorary chairman Mark Canton. “As in prior years, our event comes to Hollywood on the eve of the Oscars with a star-studded array of Italian, Italian-American and international artists all scheduled to participate in a week-long pre-Academy Awards celebration showcasing the best of Italian culture through a series of premieres, screenings retrospectives and exhibitions.”

The Festival’s opening night audience, to be comprised of top American and international filmmakers, celebrities, government officials and industry executives including Silvia Chiave, Consul General of Italy/Los Angeles, Oscar winning writer-director Bobby Moresco (“Crash”), Oscar-winning screenwriter Barry Morrow (“Rain Man”), former studio executive Frank Mancuso and former AMPAS president Cheryl Boone Isaacs, will welcome to Hollywood the 2019 Italian delegation which includes the director and producer Matteo Rovere and actor Alessio Lapice (“Romulus & Remus – The First King”); actor and director Alessandro Preziosi (“Medici”); the actor and producer Luca Barbareschi (“The International”); young movie stars Angela and Marianna Fontana (“Indivisible”); writer-director Robert Ando’ (“The Confessions”); the actors Walter Nudo and Sofia Milos, who will be serving as the Festival’s masters of ceremonies.

Top Italian films to be showcased include the World Premiere of the movies “Leonardo 500” directed by Francesco Invernizzi, “Amazing Leonardo” directed by Jesus Garces Lambert, “Everything’s Going Smooth” directed by Igor Maltagliati, “Thanks!” directed by Gabriele De Luca, “And Suddenly It’s Evening” directed by Claudio Insegno, “Palladio: The Power of Architecture” directed by Giacomo Gatti, “Lucania: Land, Blood and Magic” directed by Gigi Roccati and “Dolceroma” directed by Fabio Resinaro.   Also, the U.S. premieres of “Capri-Revolution’’ dir. Mario Martone; “The Vice of Hope” dir. Edoardo De Angelis;  “None Like Us” dir. Volfango De Biasi, “Copperman” dir. Eros Puglielli, ‘’Red Land’’ dir. Maximiliano Hernando Bruno; “The King’s Musketeers” dir. Giovanni Veronesi; “Friends Will Be Friends” dir. Antonello Grimaldi; “Detective by Chance” dir. Giorgio Romano; “Free” dir. Fabrizio Maria Cortese; “The Armadillo's Prophecy” dir. Emanuele Scaringi, “Back Home” dir. Antonio Albanese; “Traveling with Adele” dir. Alessandro Capitani; “The Children’s House” dir. Francesca Muci;  “Romance in Rome” dir. Cosimo Messeri,  and  also the amazing Renato Zero’s live concert  from the ancient Verona Arena ‘”Zerovskij” dir. Gaetano Morbioli

The Festival’s TV showcase will include the top-rated series “Sons of Ndrangheta” dir. Giacomo Campiotti and “Mia” dir. Riccardo Donna as well as the documentaries “Palladio: The Power of Architecture” dir. Giacomo Gatti (world Premiere); “Caravaggio: The Soul and the Blood” dir. Jesus Garces Lambert;  “Mathera” dir. Dino Salinaro and Francesco Invernizzi;  “Bernini,” dir. Francesco Invernizzi; “Theater at Work’’ dir. Massimiliano Pacifico (US Premiere).

All Festival screenings are open to the public free of charge on a first come, first seated basis. The screening schedule is available on the L.A, Italia website: www.losangelesitalia.com.

L.A., Italia’s sister events are Capri-Hollywood – The International Film Festival, which takes place each December, and the Ischia Global Film & Music Festival, which takes place on July 14-21, 2019.

 www.losangelesitalia.com