This year’s Italian Film Festival packed with more comedy (but perhaps less drama) than a Dante Alighieri novel

By creammagazine, October 21, 2021

The St. Ali Italian Film Festival returns to Perth from October 18 to November 14, celebrating Italian culture, stories and language at Palace Cinemas Raine Square, Luna Leederville, Luna on SX and Windsor Cinema.

Opening with the Australian premiere of award-winning director Daniele Luchetti’s The Ties (Lacci), which kickstarted last year’s Venice Film Festival, the film is a sumptuous marriage-in-crisis drama spanning several decades, distinguished by an outstanding cast.

There is also an Italian film retrospective highlighting the works of Roberto Rossellini (1906-1977) who strongly influenced the development of important talents such as Federico Fellini in Amore and director Martin Scorsese. Catch the Italian screen goddess Sophia Loren in Marriage Italian Style.

The Italians relish in their comedic drama and high on your list to see should be ‘Three Perfect Daughters’, set in bustling Rome, and winner of the Jury Prize, as well as Best Feature Film at the Comedy Europe Film Festival.

Such a gem is entertaining thanks to its social criticisms about generational gaps between old-fashioned fathers and their strong-willed daughters.

A highly charged social narrative, director Rolando Ravello threads the three father-daughter relationships from peaceful life to shattering havoc. Shockingly, the eldest daughter, Valentina, ditches her boring straitlaced fiancé on her wedding day in favour of a woman, free spirited non-conforming Alex.

But wait, there’s more. Marta’s boyfriend Simone is a young reckless rapper who appears to be a bad influence and Sara’s photographer womanising boyfriend definitely doesn’t fit the mold of future husband. Three friends and brothers-in-law each disapprove of the partner their daughter is dating, resulting in the fathers joining forces by hindering each daughter’s relationship, however their obsessive meddling comes with a price.

Three Perfect Daughters is an easy-to-digest hilarious comedy that showcases the perfect evolvement of New Italian Cinema.

Also on the film program is a chance to redeem a gift online from festival sponsor St. Ali Coffee.

Annette McCubbin

The St. Ali Italian Film Festival runs from October 20 to November 14, 2021, at Palace Cinemas Raine Square, Luna Leederville, Luna on SX and Windsor Cinema. For the full festival program, visit www.italianfilmfestival.com.au.