Chicago Italian Film Festival Coming To The Music Box

By Joel Wicklund in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 12, 2014 8:30PM

Toni Servillo in "Viva la Liberta" (photo: Distrib Films)

Chicago has no shortage of film festivals, including several devoted to different national cinemas. Well, the more the merrier, especially as theatrical distribution of foreign films is diminishing, even in major cultural cities. So here's hoping the first Chicago Italian Film Festival is a big enough hit to help battle an apparent plague of subtitle phobia.

The Music Box hosts the weeklong festival (Nov. 21-27) co-presented by the Italian Cultural Institute Chicago and Cinecitta Luce. With the theme of "Italian Comedy: Then and Now," the lineup showcases nine different features, with each showing twice during the festival.

While this is the first of this particular event, this isn't the first Italian film festival to play in the area. The touring Italian Film Festival, USA has presented a local edition before, but its last one played in a ballroom in not-so-scenic Stone Park. Aside from the superior venue, this festival also boasts a nice mix of classic films along with some recent, well-received releases.

The vintage fare includes two much-loved social satires from director Pietro Germi: 1961's Divorce, Italian Style (with legendary star Marcello Mastroianni) and 1964's Seduced and Abandoned. Potential highlights among the contemporary films include Viva la Liberta, a dark political tale with the brilliant actor Toni Servillo (The Great Beauty, Il Divo) in dual roles; and multiple award-winner, The Mafia Kills Only in Summer.

More details and show times are available here.