Aielli & Benevento

What is it about Italy and Hollywood?  Start now counting the number of authors and film stars who seek out ‘La bella e vita’ in Italy and you will not stop until next week.  Joining this very long list is sometime Lake Como resident George Clooney.

The Academy Award winner stars in the title role of the yet to be released suspense thriller titled, “The American”  and no surprise most it was filmed on location in Italy. (Besides Rome, shooting took place in Castel del Monte, L’Aquila, Abruzzo.)

Alone among assassins, Jack (Clooney) is a master craftsman. When a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, he vows to his contact that his next assignment will be his last. Jack reports to the Italian countryside, where he holes up in a small town and relishes being away from death for a spell. The assignment, as specified by a Belgian woman, Mathilde (Thekla Reuten of “In Bruges”), is in the offing as a weapon is constructed. Surprising himself, Jack seeks out the friendship of local priest Father Benedetto (Italian stage and screen veteran Paolo Bonacelli) and pursues romance with local woman Clara (Italian leading lady Violante Placido). But by stepping out of the shadows, Jack may be tempting fate. This suspense thriller will hit limited U.S. theaters on September 1.

From The Hollywood Reporter: “ Sofia Coppola’s comedic drama “Somewhere” and “Road to Nowhere,” a romantic thriller from veteran director Monte Hellman, were among the highlights of the main competition lineup for the 67th Venice Film Festival, which was released Thursday. Other in-competition films include Vincent Gallo’s “Promises Written in Water”; “Meek’s Cutoff,” a western from Kelly Reichardt; and Athina Rachel Tsangari’s drama “Attenberg.” Artistic director Marco Mueller said that — notwithstanding the presence of the 78-year-old Hellman — the competition lineup was the youngest ever in the storied history of the festival, with the average age among the directors of the 22 in-competition films just 47.”

********As in previous years, Aielli & Benevento will offer its September bound Venice clients a unique set of specialized touring experience in and around the festival’s 10 day program. All told, the festival will include 79 world premieres, including the entire in-competition lineup for the fourth time in five years. The out-of-competition lineup had its share of highlights as well, with brothers Ben and Casey Affleck both appearing with directorial efforts — Ben with “The Town,” a crime thriller, and Casey with “I’m Still Here,” a documentary about actor Joaquin Phoenix, who is Casey Affleck’s brother in law. It will be the directorial debut for the younger Affleck. Venerable Italian directors Marco Bellocchio and Michele Placido return to the Lido with “Sorrelle Mai” and “Vallanzasca – Gli angeli del male,” respectively, and Dennis Hopper’s “The Last Movie,” the actor’s 1971 directorial follow-up to “Easy Rider,” will screen as an unofficial homage to the actor, who died in May at the age of 74. As usual, Italian films were the best represented in the overall lineup, with 41 full-length features. But U.S. productions were second, with 19, followed by France with 11 and Japan and China with 7 each. A total of 34 countries are represented with at least one official screening, including the Dominican Republic, which will see a film screen on the Venice Lido for the first time ever in “Jean Gentil,” a film about neighboring Haiti that will screen in the Orizzonti sidebar.

67TH ANNUAL VENICE FILM FESTIVAL LINEUP

• “Black Swan,” Darren Aronofsky, U.S. (Opening Film)
• “La Pecora Nera,” Ascanio Celestini, Italy
• “Somewhere,” Sofia Coppola, U.S.
• “Happy Few,” Antony Cordier, France
• “The Solitude of Prime Numbers,” Saverio Costanzo, Italy, Germany, France
• “Silent Souls,” Aleksei Fedorchenko, Russia
• “Promises Written in Water,” Vincent Gallo, U.S.
• “Road To Nowhere,” Monte Hellman, U.S.
• “Balada Triste de Trompeta,” Alex de la Iglesia, Spain, France
• “Venus Noir,” Abdellatif Kechiche, France
• “Post Mortem,” Pablo Larrain, Chile, Mexico, Germany
• “Barney’s Version,” Richard J. Lewis, Canada, Italy
• “We Believed,” Mario Martone, Italy, France
• “La Passione,” Carlo Mazzacurati, Italy
• “13 Assassins,” Takashi Miike, Japan, U.K.
• “Potiche,” Francois Ozon, France
• “Meek’s Cutoff,” Kelly Reichardt, U.S.
• “Miral,” Julian Schnabel, U.S., France, Italy, Israel
• “Norwegian Wood,” Tran Anh Hung, Japan
• “Attenberg,” Athina Rachel Tsangari, Greece
• “Detective Dee and the Mystery of Phantom Flame,
• ” Tsui Hark, China “Three,” Tom Tykwer, Germany

Old Blue Eyes’ 70300 SAN LORENZO road home, aka ‘Villa Maggio’ is for sale for $4,400,000. With 8 bedrooms and 12 full baths, 1 half bath, the 6,428 square foot retreat has a checkered Rat Pack history. The getaway lodge was built in 1967 on a lot size of 10.0 acres.

A breath-taking, private, self-contained Mid Century gentlemens lodge of stone and custom wood framing above Palm Springs. Only 15 minutes from El Paseo. Built by Sinatra for privacy & seclusion to entertain family and friends, the Rat Pack boys and other celebs. The property boasts a main estate with mother-in-law quarters, a detached guest house with 3 separate suites, baths and mini-kitchens, and a pool house. Features a custom pool, a full size tennis/ sports court, and a Helo pad. Private road w/gated access, with breath taking views of the entire valley. Sellers have restored this property to original condition and are motivated! This sale includes a 5 acre parcel, and two 2.5 acre parcels.

Ristorante Santa Lucia.  Location:Near the Pantheon.

Has a wonderful courtyard.  The restaurant had its 15 minutes of fame (again) when Julia Roberts of ‘Mystic Pizza’ fame frequented during the 2009 filming of best seller “Eat, Pray, Love”.  ( Not that these Hollywood types are evidence of good food but Santa Lucia has been a hit with such VIPs as Rupert Everett, Ridley Scott, Sofia Loren, Dante Ferretti, Bernardo Bertolucci and Harvey Keitel. Bill Clinton has been back many a time with his daughter Chelsea, while Kirstie Alley gave the paparazzi the international finger sign having been spotted leaving the restaurant.  During the never-ending filming of Gangs of New York at Cinecittà, Martin Scorsese and Leo di Caprio were a permanent fixture at the restaurant.

Roberts is quoted as saying her favorite location scenes were “when people were speaking Italian athousand miles a minute and there was plenty of pasta and wine”.  We agree.  Menu favorites include scialatielli and spaghetti.

2 Via di Tor Sanguigna ; info@santaluciaristorante.it ; Tel#:  +39 06.68802427

Where does Marisa Tomei or Leonardo DiCaprio go when their in the Hamptons and looking for some local Italian fare to take home?  Best guess is ‘The Villa’.  An East Hampton institution for over 20 years Villa Italian Specialities is located across from the rail station in the village. Famous for homemade mozzarella, sausages and Italian heros. “The Villa” also features an assortment of prepared foods to go, house made sauces, soups, salads and breads. Try the foccaccia.  

Villa Italian Specialties
7 Railroad Avenue
East Hampton,
New York 11937
Tel#  631-324-5110
Info@villaitalianspecialties.com
Hours: Monday – Saturday 7:30am -7:00pm; Sunday 8:00am – 5:00pm.

Pantelleria has been known as the ‘Black Pearl of the Mediterranean’, since the early  Phoenician era.  The island lies in a stretch of sea between Tunisia and Sicily, yet it has little in common with either Africa or Italy.Instead of white beaches and waving palms Pantelleria offers steep cliffs and a rugged volcanic landscape shaped by the constantly- blowing winds and baked by the African sun. It reminds some visitors of the Scottish Highlands.

Pantelleria is also known as the island of sun and wind.  The town of Pantelleria itself, the main settlement on the island was razed by heavy bombing during World War II. Italy’s fascist dictator Benito Mussolini took advantage of its strategic position and ordered it to be turned into a fortress. The roads and airport built for the purpose are still in use today. Pantelleria was known for a while as ‘Mussolini’s aircraft-carrier’. In 1943, the Allies bombarded the island as a precursor to the invasion of Sicily.

Star designer Giorgio Armani fell under the spell of this island years ago and he likes to describe himself as one of the island’s pioneer tourists. He now owns a magnificent property at Couturier near Cala Gadir. It consists of six ‘Dammusi’, the name given to the indigenous houses on the island, mostly whitewashed, rounded single- storey buildings built in the Arab architectural style. Tourists can rent one of these homes for a holiday, arguably one of the most pleasant and authentic ways to spend a holiday on Pantelleria.

Gorgio Armani's beach house in Pantelleria.