Italian Rising Stars Shine: Young Filmmakers Dominate Cannes’ Un Certain Regard

This year’s Italian lineup at the Cannes Film Festival – with one competitive entry from esteemed director Mario Martone and two films from emerging directors in the Un Certain Regard section – effectively mirrors the current dynamics within the Italian film industry.

In general terms, after a period of robust growth, the Italian film production scene has experienced a slowdown. This deceleration is largely due to the government’s hesitancy in finalizing changes to tax incentives for film and television productions, which has complicated the approval process for larger-budget Italian films.

Despite these financial challenges, there’s an exciting wave of new directors making their mark, joining the ranks of renowned filmmakers like Paolo Sorrentino, Luca Guadagnino, Alice Rohrwacher, and Nanni Moretti.

Thierry Fremaux expressed his enthusiasm about the resurgence of young Italian filmmakers, describing it as “formidable” during the festival’s lineup announcement. He emphasized that Italy continues to be a powerhouse in the global cinema landscape.

Paolo Del Brocco, CEO of RAI Cinema, highlighted that this year’s Italian films at Cannes, all supported by RAI, showcase a rich diversity yet cohesive storytelling style that represents the multifaceted nature of Italian film production.

Among the entries, Mario Martone returns to the Cannes competition with his latest film “Fuori,” a biographical drama about the life of feminist and author Goliarda Sapienza, played by Valeria Golino and Matilda De Angelis. The film, set in the 1980s, follows Sapienza after her novel “The Art of Joy” is rejected by publishers, leading to her imprisonment in Rome for theft, where she forms a profound connection with a fellow inmate and activist named Roberta.

Directors Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis return to Cannes with their new film “Heads or Tails?,” a Western drama set in Tuscany and featuring John C. Reilly as Buffalo Bill. The film, inspired by a true incident during Buffalo Bill’s visit to Italy, also stars Nadia Tereszkiewicz and Alessandro Borghi in pivotal roles.

Up-and-coming director Francesco Sossai has made a significant impact with his film “The Last One for the Road,” featured in Un Certain Regard. This road movie revolves around two middle-aged men and a directionless architecture student who embark on a tumultuous journey across the Venetian plains, experiencing misadventures and forging an unexpected friendship.

Italian cinema’s prominence is further underscored by the participation of actor Pierfrancesco Favino in the Directors’ Fortnight opener “Enzo,” directed by Robin Campillo. Favino portrays a father with a deeply intuitive connection to his rebellious son.

An interesting highlight of this year’s festival is the involvement of the Rohrwacher sisters: Alba Rohrwacher serves on the main jury, while Alice Rohrwacher presides over the Caméra d’Or jury, marking a significant Italian presence in both the cinematic and evaluative aspects of the festival.