Baaria: Italian candidate for Oscar

by S. C.

Giuseppe Tornatore's Sicilian epic Baaria was picked as Italy's candidate for next year's foreign film Oscar.

The film, which broke Tornatore's box-office opening record last weekend, beat four other contenders including Marco Bellocchio's tale of Mussolini's secret wife and son, Vincere; and Marco Risi's story of a Naples investigative journalist killed by the Camorra, Fortapasc.

Baaria debuted to popular acclaim but mixed reviews at the recent Venice Film festival where it was the first Italian film to open the fest in 20 years.

Tornatore is hoping his big-budget tale of three generations in his Sicilian hometown of Bagheria can repeat his 1990 Oscar win with Nuovo Cinema Paradiso. The other possibles that lost out to Baaria Tuesday were Michele Placido's 1968 student revolt picture Il grande sogno; and Giulio Manfredonia's mental health tragicomedy Si puo' fare.

by S. C.
30 September 2009 Teatro Naturale International n. 8 Year 1

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