Alberta (Luisa Ranieri) and Gabriella (Jasmine Trinca) are sisters. Together they run a highly regarded Fashion House that specialises in designing and creating costumes for the entertainment industry. When we meet them they have two distinct personalities. Alberta is stern and all business and Gabriella is quiet and almost withdrawn.

They are surrounded by a staff of colourful and idiosyncratic women. Each of these ladies have private lives that vary from good to the truly awful. As the film fills in the blanks and you get to know them, you also get invested in their plight and come to understand their actions.

When a large movie costume job arrives, it pushes the staff to their limit and the effects their private lives have on their ability to work. We find the sisters harbouring a tragic secret from their past, a staff member who deals with domestic abuse is a most straight forward manner and many other tales.

The most intoxicating aspect of Diamonds is how these characters and your knowledge of them and their lives is constantly changing. As these ladies and their lives come into sharper focus you can’t help but to be drawn in and make a connection and feel their acute sense of success and failure and the camaraderie that that fosters.
Rob Hudson

Diamonds Screenings in Brisbane
Palace Barracks Brisbane
Thursday 25th September 3:00pm
Saturday 27th September 12:40pm

Palace James St Cinema
Monday 29th September 3:15pm
Wednesday 1st October 7:45pm
Thursday 2nd October 12:50pm
Thursday 9th October 8:10pm
Sunday 12th October 10:10am
Wednesday 15th OcOctobert 3:00pm
Sunday 19th October 5:45pm
Tuesday 21st October 11:00am

2025 ST. ALi Italian Film Festival runs in Brisbane from 24 September – 22 October, and will take place at the Palace James Street and Palace Barracks cinemas. Click here for more information about the festival, or head to the official website for more information and to book your tickets!
www.italianfilmfestival.com.au

Presented by Palace, the 2025 edition of the festival will screen in Sydney, Melbourne, Ballarat, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Byron Bay and Ballina, commencing on September 24 in Brisbane.

The full 2025 line up will be revealed in late August with these first highlights offering a tantalising taste of what to expect in this year’s program, which will showcase the filmmaking and acting talents of Italy’s finest.

Opening the festival is Paolo Genovese’s record-breaking hit SOMEBODY TO LOVE (FolleMente), a romantic comedy with an all-star cast including Edoardo Leo, Pilar Fogliati and Vittoria Puccini. Following the global success of Perfect Strangers (IFF 16), writer/director Genovese’s latest film reveals the innermost thoughts and uncertainties of a modern Italian couple on their awkward first date.

From acclaimed filmmaker Ferzan Özpetek comes the stunning, female led drama DIAMONDS (Diamanti). An ode to the beautiful craftsmanship of film costume designers and seamstresses, Luisa Ranieri and Jasmine Trinca star as sisters running a couture costume design house in 1970s Rome, exploring the lives and relationships of the women working within it.

The festival Special Presentation is the winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, THE MOUNTAIN BRIDE – VERMIGLIO (Vermiglio). An atmospheric, visually breathtaking portrait of a family caught between tradition and modernity in the final year of WWII, writer/director Maura Delpero drew upon her own family’s past and collective memory to create this rich, intimate drama that follows a series of consequential events.

A box office sensation in Italy, moving drama THE BOY WITH PINK TROUSERS (Il ragazzo dai pantaloni rosa) features rising star Samuele Carrino in a powerful performance. Exploring the real story behind Italy’s first publicised case of online bullying, the film garnered much attention in Italy and sparked important discussions about the issue.

Starring popular comic duo Ficarra & Picone and festival favourite Toni Servillo, THE ILLUSION (L’Abbaglio) is a fun re-imagining of Giuseppe Garibaldi’s 1860 campaign that unified Italy. Directed and co-written by Roberto Andò (Strangeness IFF23) this entertaining tale blends comedy and drama to illuminate a piece of history, exploring the paradoxes of Sicilian identity.

The adventures of the Rovelli family continue in WHEN MUM IS AWAY…WITH THE IN-LAWS (10 Giorni con I suoi). This time the family head to Puglia in the hit comedy directed by Alessandro Genovesi and starring Fabio De Luigi and Valentina Lodovini.

The full programme will be announced and tickets go on sale late August. Register for updates via the festival website to be the first to know when tickets are released.

The 2025 ST. ALi Italian Film Festival presented by Palace screens in the following locations:
Canberra 17 September – 15 October, Palace Electric Cinema
Adelaide 17 September – 14 October, Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas
Sydney 18 September – 15 October, Palace Moore Park, Palace Norton St, Palace Central, Chauvel Cinema
Melbourne 19 September – 16 October, The Astor Theatre, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Penny Lane, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema, Cinema Nova
Ballarat 20 September – 16 October, Palace Regent Cinemas
Brisbane 24 September – 22 October, Palace Barracks, Palace James Street
Byron Bay and Ballina 25 September – 15 October, Palace Byron Bay, Ballina Fair Cinemas
Perth 25 September – 22 October, Palace Raine Square, Luna Leederville, Luna on SX, Windsor Cinema
www.italianfilmfestival.com.au

Opening the festival is GLORIA! the directorial debut of dynamic Italian singer, songwriter and actor Margherita Vicario, who also co-wrote the film which depicts the ebullient, music-filled story of a maid at a Venetian refuge whose hidden talent helps inspire an uprising.

Margherita will be visiting Australia as a special guest of the festival to introduce the film at Opening Night Gala events in Sydney and Melbourne. Joining her will be festival Ambassador Silvia Colloca, multi-talented Italian-Australian food writer, TV producer and host, who is about to release her latest book ‘The Italian Homecook’.

Closing the 2024 festival is the Papal thriller CONCLAVE. Oscar nominees Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci lead a brilliant ensemble cast including Sergio Castellitto in director Edward Berger’s stunning adaption of Robert Harris’ high-stakes drama, in which Cardinals gather at the Vatican to elect a new Pope.

The Festival Centrepiece is PARTHENOPE, the new film from Academy-Award winner Paolo Sorrentino (The Great Beauty, Youth, The New Pope) is a visually and aurally stunning, decades-spanning romantic drama about a Neapolitan woman named after the mythical siren who once lent her name to the city of Naples.

Festival Special Presentations include the playful comedy from acclaimed writer/director Christophe Honoré, MARCELLO MIO, led by acting royalty and real-life mother-daughter duo Catherine Deneuve and Chiara Mastroianni, focusing on the legacy of the great Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni; plus Italy’s biggest film of 2023, THERE’S STILL TOMORROW (C’è ancora domani), the directorial debut of Paola Cortellesi who also stars in the film. Set in post-war Rome, it follows a woman breaking traditional family patterns and aspiring to a different future.

Daniele Luchetti’s award-winning psychological thriller TRUST (Confidenza), scored by Thom Yorke of Radiohead, follows a fiery love affair and a dark secret, featuring an all-star cast including Elio Germano, Federica Rosellini and Vittoria Puccini.

The 2023 Venice Film Festival opener COMANDANTE is a gripping maritime thriller starring festival favourite Pierfrancesco Favino. Favino delivers a powerhouse performance as a Naval Captain who commands the Italian Royal Navy submarine Cappellini in the Battle of the Atlantic and is faced with a moral dilemma.

Blending elements of film noir, legal drama and investigative mystery, A DARK STORY (Una storia nera) sees a separated family reunite for a child’s birthday but secrets come to light when the father disappears, and an investigation commences. Also set to thrill audiences is neo-noir drama WE WERE CHILDREN (Eravamo bambini), a captivating combination of revenge thriller and coming-of-age tale featuring a stellar ensemble cast.

In celebration of 25 years of the festival, there will be special screenings of the much-loved, inaugural Opening Night festival film, BREAD AND TULIPS (Pane e Tulipani). Enjoying an extended run during its original release in 2000, the film tells the heartwarming story of Rosalba, a neglected housewife who starts a new life in Venice and finds romance and self-discovery against the city’s charming backdrop.

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the iconic, Academy-Award winning THE GODFATHER PART II, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The film continues the Corleone family’s saga, exploring Michael

Corleone’s consolidation of power and moral struggles, alongside Vito Corleone’s rise from immigrant to crime lord and will be shown in a lavish 4k restoration, including intermission.

The 2024 lineup features a strong selection of new Italian dramas including the gripping and emotionally charged MIA starring Edoardo Leo as the protective father of fifteen-year-old Mia, whose world is forever altered when she crosses paths with an enigmatic older boy; ensemble drama FAMILY MATTERS (Sei fratelli), led by Riccardo Scamarcio, which explores the relationships in an extended and dysfunctional family; Italo-French co-production MARIA MONTESSORI (La Nouvelle Femme) starring Jasmine Trinca as the famed Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori, whose revolutionary methods are still used across the globe today and GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARY (Vangelo secondo Maria), a fascinating tale of love, destiny, duty, and rebellion, starring Benedetta Porcaroli and Alessandro Gassmann as the biblical couple Mary and Joseph.

Alba Rohrwacher delivers a transformative performance in compelling new drama IN THE MIRROR (Mi fanno male i capelli). An elegant homage to the legendary actress Monica Vitti, it explores the power of dreams, set to music by Japanese composer Shigeru Umebayashi.

Starring in THE BEAUTIFUL SUMMER (La bella estate) is Deva Cassel, daughter of actors Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel. Written and directed by Laura Luchetti and inspired by Cesare Pavese’s novel, the lyrical coming-of-age story captures the intricacies of friendship and love as it follows a young seamstress in the artistic world of 1938 Turin.

Lovers of Italian comedies, will delight in the box office hit A WORLD APART (Un mondo a parte) starring Antonio Albanese as a teacher who relocates to a tiny school in a remote village in Abruzzo and faces amusing challenges in his quest to adapt to small-town life; LIFE’S A BEACH (Come può uno scoglio) starring comedy duo Pio and Amedeo who reunite with Belli Ciao director Gennaro Nunziante in a laugh-out-loud adventure through Italy; and ensemble comedy VOLARE from Margherita Buy in her directorial debut, about an actress with a severe phobia of flying who decides to take the plunge and join a course to face her fears.

And for bambini and nonni alike, THE WAR OF THE NONNI (La guerra dei nonni), a fun family comedy starring Vincenzo Salemme and Max Tortora as competing grandfathers.

BAD CONSCIENCE (Cattiva coscienza) is a playful and fantastical romantic comedy about the divide between passion and reason, in which a man’s conscience must descend to Earth to bring him to his senses, starring Beatrice Grannò (The White Lotus S2).

Naples is at the heart of CARACAS starring Marco D’Amore and Toni Servillo. The nocturnal drama and enthralling portrait of Naples follows a Neapolitan writer who returns to his hometown after a long absence and finds himself drawn into the city’s dark underbelly.

The famous city is also the focus of documentary AN ODE TO NAPLES (Posso entrare? An Ode to Naples), from Trudie Styler. A fascinating journey into the soul of the city of Naples, it tells the story of the city and its people, its music and the challenges it faces.

Also showing with a special event screening in Sydney and Melbourne is THE RISE OF ESPRESSO, a documentary charting the expansion and evolution of the coffee market through a collection of personal stories.

The 2024 ST. ALi Italian Film Festival presented by Palace screens in the following locations:
Sydney 18 September – 16 October, Palace Moore Park, Palace Norton St, Palace Central, Chauvel Cinema
Canberra 19 September – 16 October, Palace Electric Cinema
Brisbane 19 September – 16 October, Palace Barracks, Palace James Street
Melbourne 20 September – 17 October, The Astor Theatre, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Penny Lane, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema, Cinema Nova Byron Bay and Ballina 26 September – 16 October, Palace Byron Bay, Ballina Fair Cinemas
Adelaide 2 October – 22 October, Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas
Perth 3 October – 23 October, Palace Raine Square, Luna Leederville, Luna on SX, Windsor Cinema
www.italianfilmfestival.com.au

Pietro (played at various ages by Luca Marinelli, Lupo Barbiero and Andrea Palma) and Bruno (Alessandro Borghi, Cristiano Sassella and Francesco Palombelli) are childhood friends. Pietro comes from the city and Bruno the country and they both have a lot to learn from each other. Their personal fortunes are also in constant flux.

This ongoing change in life conditions between the two gives the film a completely believable narrative. The ebb and flow leads to some very emotional moments. From its leisurely beginning, the events on display will resonate with almost all audience members. Italian or not these are universal themes that are on display.

It’s safe to say I adored this work of art. It’s not perfect, it’s a bit too long and slow to get going but those are minor quibbles. It is so rich with humanity and so beautiful to look at, it should be included in anybody’s watch list of films not to miss.
Rob Hudson

The Eight Mountain screenings in Brisbane
PALACE BARRACKS
Thursday 28 September 10:15 AM
Saturday 30 September 12:40 PM
Saturday 7 October 5:40 PM
Wednesday 11 October 5:30 PM
Friday 13 October 3:00 PM
Sunday 22 October 12:40 PM

PALACE JAMES ST
Thursday 28 September 8:10 PM
Wednesday 4 October 3:30 PM
Sunday 8 October 12:30 PM
Thursday 12 October 5:50 PM
Saturday 14 October 8:10 PM
Monday 16 October 3:10 PM
Friday 20 October 3:30 PM

The Italian Film Festival runs in Brisbane from 27 September – 25 October and will take place at the Palace James Street and Palace Barracks cinemas.

Click here for more information about the festival, or head to the official website for more information and to book your tickets!
www.italianfilmfestival.com.au

Framing the tale of Rome around an actor playing Cesar and explaining the events surrounding that tragic leader’s fate is a novel way to begin a documentary on the history of the Roman Empire and its most famous city. Power of Rome takes liberty with form in its attempt to add something new to a much discussed topic.

After Leo walks off set he is soon found by a member of the film crew played by Giorgia Spinelli. As they take a scooter ride around the local streets they begin to talk about its history. While on their journey they argue over the impact women had on the empire and her strong opinions on the subject. it’s refreshing to get a female perspective if only for a short time. Afterwards he Is left to wander the city alone. He shares the tales of its past in a voice over.

This narrative style is delivered more like friends chatting than a scholarly thesis. The conversation is interwoven with live recreations of several important events in Roman history. It helps with momentum that this period of time was so rich with intrigue and the wild swings of political intent, self-interest and unbridled hubris. The parallels with today’s world events are fascinating.
Rob Hudson

Power of Rome screenings in Brisbane
PALACE BARRACKS
Wednesday 28 September 4:45 PM
Friday 30 September 6:00 PM
Wednesday 5 October 12:00 PM

PALACE JAMES ST
Monday 3 October 4:00 PM
Thursday 6 October 11:45 AM
Monday 10 October 1:45 PM

The Italian Film Festival runs in Brisbane from 21 September – 19 October and will take place at the Palace James Street and Palace Barracks cinemas.

Click here for more information about the festival, or head to the official website for more information and to book your tickets!
www.italianfilmfestival.com.au

Carmine shows Pasquale he lacks the killer instinct and is sent away to run a money laundering scheme surrounding the running of a restaurant. While there Carmine meets Consuelo (Greta Scarano). She is a headstrong chef who used to work at the restaurant that was taken over.

They butt heads as their paths cross around town but soon she is hired as head chef as Carmine sees the running of this restaurant as a way of creating something that is his and giving him the ability to excel at something. These plans come undone and a debt is owed, to Pasquale.

There are no real surprises in-store here for the viewer but it’s comforting to just sit back and enjoy a work dedicated to pure enjoyment. The Perfect Dinner is a crowd-pleasing mix of passion, food and regret and makes for a delicious meal with a side order of quirky Italian love-story details.
Rob Hudson

The Perfect Dinner screenings in Brisbane
PALACE BARRACKS
Thursday 22 September 10:30 AM
Friday 23 September 8:40 PM
Sunday 25 September 6:10 PM
Monday 3 October 2:20 PM
Thursday 6 October 11:15 AM
Sunday 9 October 1:40 PM
Thursday 13 October 3:30 PM

PALACE JAMES ST
Saturday 24 September 8:15 PM
Wednesday 28 September 11:45 AM
Saturday 1 October 8:30 PM
Sunday 2 October 11:30 AM
Friday 7 October 3:40 PM
Saturday 8 October 8:20 PM
Tuesday 11 October 11:30 AM
Saturday 15 October 3:40 PM

The Italian Film Festival runs in Brisbane from 21 September – 19 October and will take place at the Palace James Street and Palace Barracks cinemas.

Click here for more information about the festival, or head to the official website for more information and to book your tickets!
www.italianfilmfestival.com.au

From the outside looking in, Alessandro (Edoardo Leo) and Arturo (Stefano Accorsi) are the perfect couple, but the cracks are starting to appear. When a former muse, Annamaria (Jasmine Trinca), and her two young children arrive unbeknownst to Alessandro, it shifts the couple’s dynamic in a major way. When the truth behind her visit becomes known, it shifts things into overdrive.

Every family has its secrets and Annamaria’s upbringing was rife with trying times and dark realities. When circumstances dictate her children living with her mother, the darkness comes into sharp focus. This forces Alessandro and Arturo to get over themselves and unite in a common cause. It’s a slow burn circumstance that flashes bright with sinister overtones and energy.

The Goddess of Fortune is screening as a special presentation at the ST. ALi Italian Film Festival – Brisbane screening times listed below:

PALACE BARRACKS
Friday 2, October 7:30 PM
Wednesday 7, October 4:00 PM
Sunday 11, October 4:40 PM
Thursday 15, October 2:30 PM
Friday 16, October 11:00 AM
Sunday 18, October 1:00 PM

PALACE JAMES ST
Saturday 3, October 11:00 AM
Sunday 4, October 2:00 PM
Thursday 8, October 7:30 PM
Friday 9, October 4:30 PM
Saturday 10, October 4:30 PM
Tuesday 13, October 11:00 AM
Saturday 17, October 7:30 PM

For more information and screening details about this great film festival head to www.italianfilmfestival.com.au

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.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary – and in honour of the late great Ennio Morricone, one of the world’s greatest film composers – the Festival will close with Giuseppe Tornatore’s MALENA (Malèna) starring Monica Bellucci.

The Centrepiece selection for the 2020 programme is Marco Bellocchio’s multi award-winning crime drama THE TRAITOR (Il traditore), which was the big winner at Italy’s 65th David di Donatello Awards – the country’s equivalent of the Oscars. The absorbing film sees Pierfrancesco Favino deliver a powerhouse performance as Tommaso Buscetta, a Sicilian Mafia boss-turned-police informer.

There will also be two Special Presentations this year: Ferzan Ozpetek’s award-winning new film THE GODDESS OF FORTUNE (La dea fortuna), featuring an all-star cast including Stefano Accorsi, Edoardo Leo and Jasmine Trinca. This will screen nationally along with the short film BEING MY MOM, the directorial debut of aforementioned actress Jasmine Trinca, starring Alba Rohrwacher and Maayane Conti, which is currently in competition at the 77th Venice International Film Festival.

The second Special Presentation screening is MARTIN EDEN, by acclaimed writer and director Pietro Marcello. The award-winning drama provocatively transports Jack London’s 1909 novel about a self-taught and outspoken writer to a pivotal moment in Italy’s pre-war history.

The programme also comprises of two films to share with your family. For kids fifteen years and older is MY BROTHER CHASES DINOSAURS (Mio fratello rincorre i dinosauri). Inspired by a true story, this is a joyous and poignant film about the fear of being judged. And for the whole family, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE WORLD (Il giorno più bello del mondo) – a modern-day fairy tale in which a down on his luck theatre manager receives a strange inheritance – custody of two children, and discovers that one of them has amazing telekinetic powers.

Other highlights for the 2020 ST. ALi Italian Film Festival include:

7 HOURS TO WIN YOUR HEART (7 ore per farti innamorare) about a desperate journalist who enlists the aid of a seduction expert to regain his ex-girlfriend in a hilarious Neapolitan romantic comedy starring Giampaolo Morelli and Serena Rossi.

BAD TALES (Favolacce), set in a southern suburb of Rome and starring Cannes award-winner Elio Germano, this dark tale sees tensions unfold in a small community during a sweltering summer.

FEEL YOUR MEMORIES (Tornare), a captivating psychological drama which follows a woman returning to her childhood home in 1990s Naples. Featuring a stellar performance from Giovanna Mezzogiorno.

GOLDEN MEN (Gli uomini d’oro), a crime comedy starring Fabio De Luigi, Edoardo Leo and Giampaolo Morelli in which a group of desperate men in Turin attempt an armoured truck robbery.

HAMMAMET recounts the last year of controversial politician Bettino Craxi’s life as he lived in exile following corruption charges and features an astonishing performance from Pierfrancesco Favino.

I HATE SUMMER (Odio l’estate) sees much-loved Italian comedians Aldo, Giovanni and Giacomo star in a hilarious story of friendship in which three families accidentally book the same holiday rental.

LETSCLEANAPP (TuttAPPosto) – featuring hilarious performances by Luca Zingaretti and Roberto Lipari, this comedy sees a student upending favouritism and corruption in his university with an app for students to rate their professors.

ONCE UPON A TIME…IN BETHLEHEM (Il primo Natale) sees the famous comedy duo Ficarra and Picone star as a thief and a priest who are magically transported to year zero, Palestine, where they’ll have to make sure that the birth of Jesus will follow its course.

ORDINARY JUSTICE (Palazzo di giustiziaI) is a quietly impactful drama from newcomer Chiara Bellosi, which examines the emotions behind the legal machinery at work in the courtroom following an attempted armed robbery.

SAY IT LOUD (Cambio tutto), a new hilarious comedy from Guido Chiesa (director of Let Me Introduce You to Sofia) which follows one woman’s quest to gain control over her life.

THE BIG STEP (Il grande passo), a bittersweet tale of brotherhood, and believing in your dream, no matter how far-fetched it may seem featuring Giuseppe Battiston and Stefano Fresi.

This year the Festival is also launching the ST. ALi Italian Film Festival eTicket Bundle. Escape to Italy with 5 eTickets for $55 or 10 eTickets for $100. The ticket bundle is available to buy online only from September 10 until September 30 and is valid for the duration of the 2020 Italian Film Festival. This is a Movie Club exclusive offer.

ALL TICKETS NOW ON SALE. For more information visit: www.italianfilmfestival.com.au

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

* The 2020 ST. ALi Italian Film Festival dates for Melbourne will be confirmed as soon as cinemas can safely re-open.

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.

The selection features four categories: Direct from Cannes with three features direct from the world’s most prestigious film festival; Drammatico Italiano including the best contemporary films produced in Italy in the last 12 months; Laughing Italian Style for the funniest, craziest and silliest Italian comedies including a popular cinepanettone title; plus Per Bambini with a family film for younger audiences.

Several stunning feature debut’s highlight Italy’s hot new talent including Sebastiano Riso’s moving drama Darker Than Midnight (Più buio di mezzanotte); Bruno Oliviero’s stylish thriller The Human Factor (La variabile umana); Fabio Mollo’s restrained and powerful drama South Is Nothing (Il Sud è niente) starring Miriam Karlkvist, recipient of this year’s Berlinale Shooting Star award; Alberto Fasulo’s docudrama Tir; Sydney Sibilia’s hilarious I Can Quit Whenever I want (Smetto Quando Voglio), Matteo Oleotto’s Italian Golden Globe-winning comedy Zoran, My Nephew the Idiot (Zoran, il mio nipote scemo) and The Mafia Kills Only In Summer (La mafia uccide solo d’estate) by PIF – Pierfrancesco Diliberto – who was recently crowned Best New Director at the David Di Donatello 2014 Awards.

New films from much loved, multi award-winning directors are also featured including these festival highlights: Daniele Lucheti’s Those Happy Years (Anni felici), Asia Argento’s Incompresa, Edoardo Winspeare’s Quiet Bliss (In grazia di Dio), Giovanni Veronesi’s The Fifth Wheel (L’ultima ruota del carro), Andrea Segre’s The First Snowfall (La prima neve) and Gianni Amelio’s A Lonely Hero (L’intrepido). Along with Stijn Coninx director of the hugely entertaining Opening Night Selection Marina, and Vittorio de Sica whose timeless comedy Marriage Italian Style will close the event nationally.

Italian Film Festival 2014
MELBOURNE17 Sept – 12 Oct
SYDNEY18 Sept – 12 Oct
CANBERRA23 Sept – 15 Oct
PERTH24 Sept – 15 Oct
BRISBANE1 Oct – 22 Oct
ADELAIDE2 Oct – 22 Oct
BYRON BAY9 Oct – 15 Oct
HOBART16 Oct – 22 Oct
www.italianfilmfestival.com.au