For the fifth consecutive year, the Italian Film Festival USA will bring contemporary Italian films to the metro Detroit area.

The IFF USA is a non-profit organization that is currently in its eighth year of operation. The festival offers free movie screenings in 11 cities throughout the U.S.

The first stop in this year’s festival was at the Detroit Institute of Arts on Wednesday, April 4 with the screening of the film, “A Quiet Life.” The event will continue screenings at the University of Michigan April 6-7, Wayne State University April 13-14, Macomb Community College April 20-21 and Henry Ford Community College April 27-28.

This year’s lineup includes 13 films showing at these four venues. The films are in their original versions with English subtitles.

 

Bringing the festival to Detroit

The festival was first brought to Metro Detroit by Wayne State University Assistant Professor, Elena Past, according to Pietro Sarcina. Sarcina is one of six volunteers helping to bring the IFF USA to Metro Detroit.

“(The organization) started at Wayne State and over time it expanded,” Sarcina said.“ Little by little it expanded and more volunteers came on board.”

According to Sarcina, Past, who works in the Italian program at WSU, wanted to bring something new to her students’ learning experience.

Past joined the organization five years ago as part of an academic project, Sarcina said.

“I am deeply convinced that watching films helps students grow in the knowledge of Italian language and culture,” Grzegorz Tokarski said. “Movies reflect the real life and there is no better way to be exposed to it.”

Tokarski, who is a professor in the Italian program at OU, currently shows Italian films in class and finds it is a successful way to educate students.

“Visual learning is much more efficient, and students enjoy it,” Tokarski said. “Obviously, I am talking about good movies, and Italy produced a great quantity of masterpieces.”

 

Appreciating the culture

Sarcina hopes that event goers will not only find enjoyment in the films, but will  find an appreciation and understanding for the Italian culture.

“The Italian cinema is well and alive and it provides wonderful storytelling,” Sarcina said. “It’s an opportunity to discover things in an entertaining environment.”

Many of the films featured in this year’s festival have won or have been nominated for a variety of awards which range from Best Screenplay to Best Director.

Paola Randi directed one of this year’s featured films titled “Into Paradiso.” Randi was nominated for Best New Director of 2011 and will be visiting the Italian American Cultural Center in Clinton Township at 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 22.

The film festival will end its run in metro Detroit on Sunday, April 29 at the Emagine Theatre in Royal Oak.

For more information, visit www.italianfilmfests.org/detroit

 

Contact Staff Intern Natalie Popovski via email at [email protected]