With recent budget cuts in Italy there was talk (later contradicted) that funding for the Accademia della Crusca would be cut, thus threatening this institute’s continued existence. The Accademia della Crusca, founded in Florence in 1582, is a leading institution dedicated to the study of and research on the Italian language. The founding members of the society, a group of intellectuals known as the Crusconi, gathered for convivial meetings reciting playful but highly literary discourses. Their intention was to set themselves apart form the overly pompous discussions of the Accademia Fiorentina. In 1583 the stated direction of the Crusca evolved into that of conserving the Florentine vulgar tongue. In 1612 the Crusca was the first institution in Europe to produce a national language “Vocabolario.” Today the Accademia della Crusca’s activities involve supporting research in Italian linguistics and philology and also sustaining the diffusion and knowledge of the Italian language both in Italy and elsewhere.
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BAM Cinèmatek’s Francesco Rosi series will end on August 21st. Upcoming films are Dimenticare Palermo, Diario napoletano, Tre fratelli and, on Saturday and Sunday respectively, Cadaveri eccellenti and Cristo si è fermato a Eboli. Cadaveri eccellenti is based on a Leonardo Sciascia novel and features an excellent Lino Ventura as a dogged police detective uncovering corruption while investigating a series of murders. Rosi’s best-known film is probably Cristo based on Carlo Levi’s novel about his exile, at the time of fascism, to a remote town in Lucania. Rosi recreates Levi’s evocative descriptions of the time, the area and its people beautifully.
Niccolo’ Ammaniti tells a coming of age story in Io e te (2010). Lorenzo, a 14-year old misfit with no friends, fools his parents into thinking he’s on a ski-trip while in reality he’s moved into a basement storage area for a week – his idea of paradise. His little-known half sister suddenly shows up, throwing his plans for a loop and forcing him to do some growing up. The story is spare and direct and the ending, though unsurprising, is tough and realistic.
See John Turturro’s Passione at Film Forum on Tuesday July 5th at 2:50. We will meet afterwards for caffe’ e chiacchiere in italiano.
Contact us at ciao@italianopertutti.com for more information and to reserve a space. Meeting location will be given at time of reservation.
Fee: $10.
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