Lavazza Italian Film Festival 2013 – Preview and ‘The Interval’ review

Posted by His Master's Review ⋅ October 4, 2013 ⋅ 2 Comments

Filed Under Camorra, Cinema of Italy, Film festival, Italy, Lavazza, Roma, T.S. Eliot, Toto

There is something mesmerizing about the Italian culture: exotic locations, stunning landscapes, breath-taking beauties, fine cuisine, masterly art, and enchanting cinema.

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Courtesy: Ned & Co and Lavazza Italian Film Festival 2013

Now while Italy is a land far away from here, the Lavazza Italian Film Festival 2013, presented by Palace Cinemas, is set to bring to life the Italian culture through 27 movies that seem poised to make our transition from Australian winter into summer memorable.

This year’s Italian Film Festival opens with Paolo Sorrentino’s The Great Beauty, and wraps up with the classic, Fellini’s Roma.

It runs in Sydney from Wednesday, October 9^th to Sunday, November 3^rd.

We begin our journey with ‘The Interval’.

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Courtesy: Ned & Co and Lavazza Italian Film Festival 2013

A superb coming-of-age feature film, without sex-related overtones of the girl-meets-boy variety and sans profanity, ‘The Interval’ spell bounds the sensitive viewer with this tale of two adolescents whose trust in each other springs out of their mutual mistrust.

On a seemingly normal day, chubby and taciturn Toto [Alessio Gallo], a 17 year old street vender is hand picked by Bernardino [Carmine Paternoster], local Camorra boss, to keep guard on a pretty and rebellious 15 year old Veronica [Francesca Riso] who is alone in a sort of solitary confinement in a dilapidated school building.

Resenting acting as gaoler of sorts but having no choice, Toto accepts the task and finds Veronica equally peeved by his presence.

LIntervallo[2] copy Courtesy: Ned & Co and Lavazza Italian Film Festival 2013

Overtime, however, their mutual resentment gets tossed over as they befriend each other and explore the vast expanse of the building.

However, like the proverbial Damocles sword, a certain sense of doom hangs over them within the confines of the waterlogged, grimy surroundings.

A sensitive portrayal of the encounter of two different lives, this film in crime genre is terrific not only in the remarkable histrionics of the two unprofessional leads but also in the poignancy with which Director Leonardo di Costanzo depicts their sojourn from misgivings to friendship in the confines of a larger than life prison.

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Courtesy: Ned & Co and Lavazza Italian Film Festival 2013

The constant engine roar in the background, reminiscent of T.S. Eliot‘s famous lines: “At my back I always hear Time’s winged chariot hurrying near” speaks volumes for their dismal situation.

Rating for the movie: 3 stars