Palace Cinemas is proud to announce ST. ALi will be the new Principal Partner of the Italian Film Festival which opens nationally from 29 September. Commencing with the 2020 Festival, the iconic Australian brand will be the exclusive coffee partner of the Italian Film Festival and Palace Cinemas nationally.
Palace Cinemas CEO Benjamin Zeccola says of the announcement, “Italy is synonymous with coffee, and when it comes to coffee in Australia, all roads lead to ST. ALi. They have done for café culture what Palace has done for cinema – we both respect and value quality and like to do things a little differently. This really is a perfect partnership.”
ST. ALi specialty coffee owner Salvatore Malatesta is proud of the new association with Australia’s largest independent cinema group, he said of the new collaboration:
“My early memories as a child always revolved around coffee and film. The mastery of Fellini was in our lounge room often. As I got older Paolo Sorrentino’s films became my go to. Supporting the Italian Film Festival feels like an obligation for me, almost like it was a birthright.”
Palace Cinemas’ flagship event will present a thrilling line-up of Italian cinema in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and Byron Bay at reduced capacity and in Melbourne, when restrictions permit.
Palace is also pleased to announce the Closing Night film – Giuseppe Tornatore’s MALENA (Malèna) starring Monica Bellucci, the unforgettable story of a boy’s journey into manhood amid the chaos and intolerance of World War II. Not only is it the 20th anniversary of the celebrated film, but it has been chosen in honour of the late, great Ennio Morricone, one of the world’s greatest film composers.
As previously announced, the ST. ALi Italian Film Festival will open with a new live-action version of the classic fairy tale PINOCCHIO. From the Director of Gomorrah and Dogman, Matteo Garrone’s seven-time Nastro d’Argento award-winner is an enthralling gothic fantasy starring Roberto Benigni as the woodcutter Geppetto.
Tickets on sale and full program coming next week.
The 21st ST. ALi Italian Film Festival presented by Palace screens in the following locations:
Sydney: 29 Sept – 18 Oct, Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Chauvel Cinemas, Palace Central
Melbourne: *TBA, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Kino Cinemas, The Astor Theatre
Canberra: 1 Oct – 18 Oct, Palace Electric Cinemas
Brisbane: 1 Oct – 18 Oct, Palace Barracks and Palace James Street
Adelaide: 29 Sept – 13 Oct, Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas
Perth: 1 Oct – 14 Oct, Palace Raine Square, Luna on SX, Leederville and Windsor
Byron Bay: 2 Oct – 14 Oct, Palace Byron Bay
www.italianfilmfestival.com.au
* Although we cannot confidently say the 2020 ST. ALi Italian Film Festival will be presented in Melbourne from late September, we can guarantee that Festival dates will be confirmed as soon as cinemas can safely re-open.
