Instead, the film directed by Massimo Costa entitled Gennaro Strummolo cittadino del Nord (Gennaro Strummolo Citizen of the North), is based on the theatrical play, Casa di frontiera (Borderland Home), by Gianfelice Imparato and relates the grotesque events regarding a southern Italian family that has moved to the north of Italy. Tosca e le altre (Tosca and the Others), directed by Giorgio Ferrara and based on the comedy of the same name by Franca Valeri, also comes from the theatre. Meanwhile, Alessandro Benvenuti is working on L’amore tardi (Late Love), from a script by Ugo Chiti. In addition, Passato prossimo (The Near Past), the first film directed by Maria Sole Tognazzi, Fortezza Bastiani (Fortress Bastiani) another first for Michele Mellara and Alessandro Rossi, set in the student community of Bologna and La volpe a tre zampe (The Fox with Three Paws) by Sandro Dionisio, from a novel set in Naples in the fifties.

There is no lack of interesting projects: indeed the imminent debut of the writer Susanna Tamaro as film director in an adaptation of her book, Rispondimi (Answer Me), starring Licia Maglietta, is one. Another, is a cartoon feature film about the invention of the Neapolitan pizza, set in the eighteenth century and called Le avventure di Totò Sapore (The Adventures of Totò Sapore). Another film relates the life of the Italian philosopher, Giovanni Gentile, who was killed in 1944. His death remains a mystery still today. Then there is the sequel to Febbre da cavallo (Horse Fever), a cult film by Steno which will have a different title. The film will be entitled, La mandragata (La Mandragata) and will be directed by Steno’s son, Carlo Vanzina. After his success in L’ultimo bacio (TheLast Kiss), Gabriele Muccino is about to start filming Ricordati di me (Remember Me), yet another tribute to eternal youth.

Finally, two films on Il caso Moro (The Moro Case). One by Renzo Martinelli and the other by Marco Bellocchio. Martinelli, who directed Vajont (Vajont), does not see any substantial difference between the kidnapping and killing of Christian Democrat, Moro and the assassination of Kennedy; indeed, his film closely follows, JFK (JFK) by Oliver Stone in style. Whereas, Bellocchio (present at the Cannes Festival with L’ora di religione (My Mother’s Smile) attempts to look at the events not only from a journalistic point of view but also try to analyse the effects this deed had not only on Italy, but on the world.

In conclusion, a panoramic vision of what is happening in production is never exhaustive and is always susceptible to variations, due to delays, last minute cancellations or otherwise, sudden projects improvised on the spot in order to get financing or beat competitors in the race for rights. However, nothing is more volatile than film production and that is just the way it is!