BooksCultur-Italy Ezine

Brexit, revenge and cold tea: Enrico Franceschini's new crime caper will make you laugh (bitterly)

I will admit something. Italian author and journalist Enrico Franceschini is a friend. And yes, I have read every single one of his books. Because when a proper journalist decides to write thrillers, I am first in the queue. From the days of Le notti di Mosca to the Romagna trilogy (Bassa Marea, Ferragosto and Un’estate a Borgomarina), and now this new one Arrivederci Londra, not to mention all…
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Celebrity InterviewsCultur-Italy Ezine

Marco Travaglio in London: "Theatre can say what TV no longer can. And in my free time? Karaoke and tennis"

From Italy to London: a one-on-one interview with the editor of Il Fatto Quotidiano, Marco Travaglio, bringing “Cornuti e contenti” to the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. A few days before the show, I caught up with him by phone. I confess: at first I felt a little intimidated. Then I found him wonderfully kind and interesting. He even told me about his passion for karaoke. When I learned that…
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Cultur-Italy EzineFood & Drink

Pizza al tegamino: How a little pan pizza from Ravenna took me straight back to my nonna's kitchen

Everybody loves pizza. That’s just a fact. And when most people think of pizza, they think of the classic Neapolitan version: soft, puffy, leopard-spotted crust with a slightly charred, chewy edge. It arrives as a full 12-inch circle, often bigger than the plate, and you fold it like a handkerchief to stop the toppings from sliding off into your lap. It’s glorious. It’s famous. It’s been…
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Cultur-Italy EzineWhat's On

Guinness World Record: How we made 440 metres of Tiramisù in London (and became a family)

On 26 April 2026, a small army of chefs, volunteers, and passionate food lovers gathered at Chelsea Old Town Hall with one goal: to break the Guinness World Record for the longest tiramisù in history. And they succeeded – beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. As Editor of London Mums Magazine, proud official media partner to this initiative, I was there not just to report but to take part. I had…
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Celebrity InterviewsCultur-Italy Ezine

From Obelix of pastry to the world's best pâtissier: my chat with Iginio Massari

You don’t get to sit down with the world’s most celebrated pastry chef every day. Iginio Massari – undisputed master, crowned best pâtissier in the world in 2017, and again last year in Paris – says with ironic modesty: «We can say that’s how it is.» But behind the legend lurks a man who, at four years old, fell into a bowl of cream – and never really got out. A proper Obelix, but…
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Celebrity InterviewsCultur-Italy Ezine

Diamonds and Rossana sweets: my intimate interview with Ferzan Özpetek, a master of humanity

A week before meeting Italy’s most famous contemporary film director Ferzan Özpetek, I wrote my review of Diamanti and I gave it a rating of ten out of ten stars. For me, it is the most beautiful film of the past decade. It moved me deeply. On impulse, I wrote to him on Instagram. And he replied with a humility you do not expect from someone of his stature. With gratitude. With…
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Cultur-Italy EzineMovies

Film review: Diamanti by Ferzan Özpetek - A glittering ode to sisterhood, stitched with love and resilience

As a film enthusiast and an Italian mother raising a family in London, I am constantly searching for stories that resonate with the complex tapestry of modern womanhood. Between the school run, the pasta boil, and the bedtime stories, there is little time for the cinema. But every so often, a film comes along that doesn’t just deserve a babysitter and a night off – it demands one. Few films…
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Celebrity InterviewsCultur-Italy Ezine

Marco Giallini on Rocco Schiavone / Ice Cold Murders: “Almost everything in him comes from me”

Right now Marco Giallini is in Aosta shooting the new season of Rocco Schiavone / Ice Cold Murders. In the meantime, he broke his leg – but after just a few days and an operation, he was already back on set, doing physiotherapy as he goes. A true phenomenon, as professional as they come. After meeting him in person, my admiration for him has grown even more (if that’s possible, given how much…
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Celebrity InterviewsCultur-Italy Ezine

Elisa: A slow-burn masterpiece about guilt, memory and the monsters we refuse to see

Some films you watch. Others you sit with. And then there are films like Elisa – the kind that follow you home, settle into your bones, and refuse to leave. I had the privilege of watching Leonardo Di Costanzo’s latest film at the BFI Southbank on 7 March 2026, as part of the glorious Cinema Made in Italy festival. But here’s the thing that still makes me the day after: I didn’t just…
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Cultur-Italy EzineMovies

La Gioia: Another unusual bond, another daring role for Valeria Golino

If Fuori left me thinking about Valeria Golino’s extraordinary range, then La Gioia – which I also caught during the Cinema Made in Italy festival – confirmed something I’ve long suspected: this woman is incapable of playing it safe. Directed by Nicolangelo Gelormini and released in Italy on 12 February 2026, La Gioia (which translates to “The Joy”) is a very different beast…
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