The Italian Cultural Center of Minneapolis - St. Paul, in partnership with MSP Film Society, is thrilled to present the 16th Italian Film Festival of Minneapolis - St. Paul (IFF), taking place at The Main Cinema from February 27 through March 2, 2025. This year's lineup, while still being finalized, promises an extraordinary celebration of Italian cinema, featuring some of the best contemporary films alongside timeless classics.

Don't wait to secure your spot! Festival passes are now available, granting access to all festival screenings and events, including to special advance showings of the highly anticipated film Vermiglio by Maura Delpero, which will start in late January or early February ahead of the festival. Please note that access to these advance showings will be limited, so be sure to secure your pass early to guarantee your spot.

Schedule of Events:

Io la conoscevo bene (I Knew Her Well)

One of Italy's most important, beautiful yet widely unknown films of the 1960s and a fascinating, multi-layered portrait of Italian society during those years, "Io la conoscevo bene" immerses the audience in the vibrant world of Rome, echoing the atmosphere of "La Dolce Vita", while offering a critical, incisive perspective on the culture of fame and sexual politics in Italy at the time.

Pietrangeli, alongside co-writers Ruggero Maccari and Ettore Scola (director of IFF's 2023 sold out premiere "We all loved each other so much"), crafts a complex character study of a young country girl-actress wannabe navigating a world of superficiality and exploitation that is by turns funny, tragic, and altogether jaw-dropping. The portrayal of Adriana, marked by her shifting fashions, hairstyles, and the ever-changing whims of her many, contradictory desires, is considered one of the greatest career achievements of actress and icon Stefania Sandrelli. The sophistication of actor Ugo Tognazzi's talent as Adriana's sleazy agent, the extraordinary black and white cinematography by Armando Nannuzzi and a brilliant, original score by Piero Piccioni mixed with some of the most famous pop tracks by Mina, Peppino di Capri and Sergio Endrigo are just a few of the many other reasons not to miss this unparalleled achievement of Italian filmmaking. "Io la conoscevo bene" is a film that captures the energy and contradictions of its era with sharp wit, emotional depth, and startling realism. It's a work that speaks to the struggles of women in a patriarchal society, while also celebrating the allure and superficiality of the glamorous world of 1960s Italy. With its mix of comedy, tragedy, and social critique, the film defies any genre, was way ahead of its time, was too modern and contemporary to be fully understood at the time of its release,  and stands as the highest example of Antonio Pietrangeli's innovative and visionary directing. Winner of three NastrI D'Argento in 1966 for Best Director (Antonio Pietrangeli), Best Screenplay (Antonio Pietrangeli, Ettora Scola, Ruggero Maccari), Best Supporting Actor (Ugo Tognazzi).

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Ricomincio da tre (I'm Starting From Three)

Co-written with Anna Pavignano, the film marks Troisi's remarkable debut both in film directing and acting. It offers a charming, witty, and poignant look at the life of Gaetano, a shy, introspective young man from Naples, who is yearning to escape the suffocating provincialism of his family and the monotony of his factory job. The plot unfolds as Gaetano decides to leave his southern-Italian city for what he believes to be a more modern and cosmopolitan city: Florence. In search of a new life, a fresh start and, in general, filled with a young man's desire to explore the world (for crying out loud, don't anyone dare call him an "emigrante"!), Gaetano is about to grow up and discover love for the first time.

This film is often noted for its blend of humor and tragedy, as it explores the life of a young man, Gaetano, navigating a world filled with personal challenges and emotional growth. It is a very significant film in Troisi's career, highlighting his natural and innate talent both behind and in front of the camera.

In 1981 "Ricomincio da tre" was the highest grossing movie, and the most awarded Italian film. It won a David di Donatello for Best Movie and Best Actor (Massimo Troisi), 4 Nastri D'Argento including Best Actor and Best New Director, Best Producer, and Best Screenplay.

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El paraiso

Taking place in desolated, dilapidated, seaside outskirts of Rome, "El Paraiso" tells the story of a complicated, emotionally charged mother-son relationship set against the backdrop of Italy's Colombian diaspora and drug-trafficking industry.

Julio-Cesar, a driftless 40-year-old man lives with his mother, a dynamic and complex Colombian woman who was pregnant with him when she entered Italy working as a drug mule. Their lives are completely and at times uncomfortably intertwined as they navigate survival on the fringes, working together in the shadow world of the criminal drug trade. With the arrival of a young, beautiful woman carrying drugs from Columbia, the balance of their insular world is interrupted and a chain of intense events is set into motion. Julio Cesar must search within as he grapples with his relationship with his mother, his own identity as an independent man, and his fractured relationship to a homeland he's never seen. Featuring incredible performances, rare views into immigrant community life, and a deeply honest yet compassionate explanation of the relationship between mother and son, "El Paraiso" is a harsh, moving, poetic thought-provoking film that is not to be missed.

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C'e ancora domani (There's Still Tomorrow)

A box office sensation by actress and comedian Paola Cortellesi in her directorial debut. Set in 1940s Rome, a city grappling with the aftermath of the war and the hope of newfound liberation, it portrays the struggles of a working-class wife and mother, who endures physical and psychological abuse from her military veteran husband, while trying to create a better future for her children, particularly her teenage daughter. Everything changes when a mysterious letter arrives, igniting a spark of courage in Delia to break free from societal conventions and pursue a better future, not only for herself but for the women who came before and after her.

The film's black-and-white cinematography and themes pay tribute to classic Italian cinema, particularly the works of directors like De Sica and Rossellini.

Co-written by Cortellesi, the screenplay is inspired by the lives of her own grandmother and great-grandmother, drawing a deeply personal connection to the struggles and triumphs of Italian women after the war. The film's success is evident not only in its box office numbers, becoming the 2023 Cinema sensation, the highest-grossing film ever directed by a female Italian director, and the 10th highest-grossing film in the country of all time, but also in its critical recognition. It received 19 nominations at the 69th David di Donatello, winning 6 awards, including Best New Director and Best Actress for Cortellesi.

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