A press conference to launch the 2023 Italian Film Festival took place on November 21 at the residence of the Italian Ambassador to Vietnam.

The event received the attention of many press agencies and media. The event not only introduces interesting information related to the 2023 Italian Film Festival but also extends the exchanges on film culture between Italy and Vietnam.

The Italian Film Festival 2023 is organized by the Embassy of Italy in Hanoi at the National Cinema Center (87 Lang Ha, Ba Dinh, Hanoi) from November 27 to December 2.

At the press conference.

The event is organized in coordination with the Asian Film Festival in Rome, aiming to offer Vietnamese audiences a glimpse into Italy's contemporary cinema.

Through six outstanding films spanning from drama to comedy, of which many have won accolades at prestigious festivals, Italian Film Festival 2023 will tell the tales of urban life, depicting the Italian modern society in the face of new challenges while also trying to connect with and maintain its age-old traditional heritage.

The movies to be screened are “The Hummingbird” (Il Colibri’) directed by Francesca Archibugi, “Diabolik” and “Diabolik Ginko Attacks" (Diabolik Ginko All’Attaccco) by Antonio Manetti and Marco Manetti, “September” (Settembre) by Giulia Louise Steigerwalt, “Leonora” (Leonora Addio) by Paolo Taviani, and “The Return of Casanova” (Il Ritorno Di Casanova) by Gabriele Salvatores.

“The Hummingbird” (Il Colibri’) is the tale of the life of Marco Carrera, known as Colibrì or "the hummingbird": a life of fateful coincidences, loss, and stories of absolute love.

“Diabolik” is about the dark and romantic story of the first meeting between master thief Diabolik and Eva Kant, set in the fictional state of Clerville in the late 1960s. Inspector Ginko is on the hunt for the criminal, trying to stop his evil plans.

Meanwhile, “Diabolik Ginko Attacks" (Diabolik Ginko All’Attaccco) follows Diabolik and his accomplice Eva Kant in a new adventure against a more combative Inspector Ginko than ever.

“September” (Settembre) tells the story of Maria and Sergio who are schoolmates but they have never talked to each other. Coming back from the summer vacation Maria is noticed by Cristian, a boy with whom she is madly infatuated. Cristian sends Sergio to talk to her asking if she wants to be with Christian. It is a very sharp proposal but the girl in front of her idol says yes, except that she has no sexual experience, and has no idea about what will happen or what to do.

“Leonora” (Leonora Addio) is a 2022 Italian drama film written and directed by Paolo Taviani, at his first work following the death of his brother Vittorio. It is an adaptation of Luigi Pirandello's novella Il chiodo ("The nail").

Italian Film Festival 2023 to Take Place in Hanoi Next Week

Finally, Il Ritorno di Casanova (The Return of Casanova), tells the story of Leo Bernardi, a well-known and acclaimed filmmaker who does not give in to the inevitable passage of time and, in search of a script that could prove to be a cinematic success, decides to center his new and final film on Arthur Schnitzler's Casanova.

During filming, however, the filmmaker realizes how this literary character reminds him of himself and how much he is related to him. This Casanova is a man ahead of his years who has lost interest in life and what it can still offer him. He is no longer the charming and seductive man he once was, and he also finds himself without money.

One day he decides to return to live in his beloved Venice, and on his way, he meets the young Marcolina. Something in her reignites his desire, but in trying to win her over he realizes that time has passed and that he will have to come to terms with this harsh reality.

Bernardi too, like Casanova, understands through this story that he has arrived at that stage of life when he will have to make important choices and renunciations.

The film was entered into the competition at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival, in which it was awarded the FIPRESCI Award for Best Film.

All films will be screened in Italian with Vietnamese subtitles.

There will be Q&A sessions following each film screening with director Antonio Termenini of the Asian Film Festival in Rome and the audience.

The festival will include a talk with director Antonio Termenini and prestigious guest speakers from Vietnam at 14:30 on November 30 under the subject “International film festival – Organising process and behind the scenes stories.”

The audience will also have the chance to receive souvenirs from the Embassy of Italy when participating in the mini-game on the fan page of the film festival.

Tickets are free of charge for audiences who register in advance through the fan page of the film festival. The organizing team will soon open the registration form for the public to fill in and get the tickets.

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