Film review: The Bone Breakers by Vincenzo Pirrotta

Mar 13 2023
Movies
Last Updated on 14 March 2023
Monica Costa
the bone breakers movie poster collage including vincenzo pirrotta and monica costa

The Bone Breakers is a gripping and intense Italian movie directed and acted by Vincenzo Pirrotta, who in recent months has reached international fame thanks to his sidekick role to Luigi Lo Cascio in The Bad Guy. Inspired by true events, The Bone Breakers revolves around an amateur criminal organisation in Palermo that fractures the limbs of its willing victims before staging fake accidents to collect insurance payouts. Pirrotta has crafted a disturbingly realistic portrayal of the dark underworld of crime in Sicily, and the performances by the cast are outstanding.

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Film review: The Lord of the Ants by Gianni Amelio starring Luigi Lo Cascio and Elio Germano 

Mar 12 2023
Movies
Last Updated on 14 March 2023
Monica Costa
the lord of the ants movie by Gianni Amelio with Luigi Lo Cascio and Monica Costa posing for mums magazine
Gianni Amelio‘s film The Lord of the Ants is a poignant and emotionally charged drama based on the true story of Aldo Braibanti, an Italian poet, expert in myrmecology (the science of ants), philosopher and playwright, who was imprisoned in 1968 due to a crime called ‘plagio’, a sort of brainwashing that was removed from the list of crimes two years later. Inherently he was jailed, because he was gay in a reality where a fascist-era anti-gay law still dominated. The film is a powerful commentary on the societal norms and prejudices prevalent in Italy at the time, and the deeply entrenched homophobia that led to the persecution of individuals like Braibanti.

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Documentary review: The March on Rome by Mark Cousins

Mar 11 2023
Movies
Last Updated on 11 March 2023
Monica Costa
Documentary the march on rome poster collage including Mark Cousins and Monica Costa posing for a mums magazine

The March on Rome, directed by Mark Cousins, is a documentary that delves into the history of fascism in Italy and the events that led up to Mussolini’s infamous March on Rome. The essay film is a thought-provoking and insightful exploration of a pivotal moment in Italian history. Cinema Made in Italy festival at Cine Lumiere in London  hosted a premiere today.

The documentary begins with an introduction to the political and social landscape of Italy in the early 20th century. Cousins takes us through the aftermath of World War I, the rise of socialism and communism, and the general sense of disillusionment and unrest that permeated the country during this time. It is against this backdrop that Mussolini and his fascist movement emerged, promising to restore order and pride to Italy.

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