*Our Events in 2022*
BREAKING THE CELLULOID CEILING
Women in European cinema
From Mon. 9 May to Thurs. 12 May 2022
Instituto Cervantes (326-330 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4FN)
Manchester’s Instituto Cervantes, Società Dante Alighieri and Alliance Française invite you for a 4-day celebration of European Cinema with a focus on women in the industry. These free events include an evening of discussion followed by 3 nights of film screenings. In collaboration with HOME.
MONDAY 9 MAY: DISCUSSION + Q&A
6pm – Instituto Cervantes (M3 4FN)
Join us as we discuss roles, specific works by women, and opportunities for women in the European film industry. Focusing on 4 countries (UK, Spain, Italy and France), our panel of experts will address what is unique in how women directors, screenwriters and/or producers approach film-making, and highlight the opportunities for and contributions of women in the industry. Discussion will be followed by a Q&A. In English – Free – Open to all
TUESDAY 10 MAY: NOTRE DAME
FRANCE | COMEDY | 2020 | 88 mins | CERT. 15
Dir. Valérie Donzelli with Valérie Donzelli, Pierre Deladonchamps, Thomas Scimeca
“A crackling and offbeat comedy that transforms sadness into shared joy”. Cineuropa
Maud Crayon (Valérie Donzelli), a single mother and struggling architect, wins a competition to redesign the esplanade in front of Notre-Dame. What should be a career-defining opportunity, however, only brings more drama when the project becomes a media scandal. Juggling professional challenges with the complications presented by her ex-fiancé, Bacchus (Pierre Deladonchamps), Maud’s quest to find a sense of balance is easier said than done. Shot just before the shocking fire at Notre-Dame, this light-hearted comedy is also a love letter both to Paris and one of its most famous landmarks.
In French with English subtitles
WEDNESDAY 11 MAY: SE QUIEN ERES / I KNOW WHO YOU ARE
SPAIN | THRILLER | 2000 | 100 mins | CERT. 13
Dir. Patricia Ferreira with Ana Fernández, Miguel Ángel Solá, Roberto Enríquez
Paloma is a young psychiatrist, hired to work as a director of a clinic in Galicia, and is attracted to Mario, her very first patient. He suffers from a rare form of amnesia, commonly known as Korsakoff’s syndrome. As a result, both his short- and long-term memories are affected, and he has temporary lapses of perception. However, Paloma finds Mario to be a fascinating individual, not just a regular patient. Intrigued, she decides to explore Mario’s past, and, through their dialogues, their relationship takes an unexpected turn. (Filmaffinity)
In Spanish with English subtitles
THURSDAY 12 MAY: PASQUALINO SETTEBELLEZZE / SEVEN BEAUTIES
ITALY| COMEDY/DRAMA | 1975 | 115 mins | CERT. 18
Dir. Lina Wertmüller with Giancarlo Giannini, Fernando Rey, Shirley Stoler
This film is a journey into the moral awareness of an everyday Neapolitan man – Pasquale Frafuso – ironically nicknamed by local people as Pasqualino Sette Bellezze (seven beauties). In 1930s Fascist Italy, he makes a point of living a carefree life, steering clear of any socio-political discourse. Yet life and history have a different plan for him. So after a funny start, the story takes a dramatic twist, as Pasqualino’s attempt to escape from a mental hospital ends in his imprisonment in a Nazi concentration camp. Here he will be forced to face horrible and impossible choices in order to survive. For this film, Lina Wertmüller was the first female director to be nominated for the Academy Awards in 1977, together with nominations as best screenplay written directly for the screen; best actor in a leading role (Giancarlo Giannini) and best foreign language film.
When she received an Honorary Academy Award in 2019, trailblazing Italian filmmaker Lina Wertmüller added another historic notch in her career belt.
In Italian with English subtitles
Dante, light and technology
Saturday 2 April 2022 – 4.15pm for 4.30pm start
Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester M2 1NL
A talk by Jim Howell and Angelo Cangelosi (Professor of Machine Learning and Robotics at the University of Manchester) with “special guest” the small robot Nao.
Jim Howell – Dante was fascinated by light both poetically and scientifically. This is especially to be seen in ‘Paradiso’, the part of the Divine Comedy which is being more and more studied in our twenty first century. Jim will talk about his own exploration of this aspect of the poet’s philosophy and trace a possible source of some his ideas which may surprise you.
Angelo Cangelosi – Robots have been used to recite poetry, such as Dante’s Commedia. This gives us a motivation to reflect on how robots and machines can use and understand language, by taking inspiration from child psychology and philosophy of language.
The talk will be followed by a social gathering with a glass of wine and nibbles.
Admission: members Free / non-members £ 3
To better arrange seating and refreshments, it would be helpful if you could book in advance by emailing us at dante@newfuture.org
GRAZIE
La Divina Commedia / The Divine Comedy
INFERNO: First Political Pamphlet
Saturday 29 January 2022 – 4.15pm for 4.30pm start
Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester M2 1NL)
A reading of the Inferno as a device Dante used to convey, in a constructive way, the anger and resentment harboured in his heart.
Speaker: SILVANA SERRA
The talk is in English and includes the reading of selected verses in Italian by Silvana and in English by Pauline and Jim Howell.
Non mancate / Don’t miss it!
The talk will be followed by a social gathering with a glass of wine and nibbles.
Admission: members FREE / non-members £ 3
To better arrange seating and refreshments, it would be helpful if you could book in advance by emailing us at dante@newfuture.org.
dantemanchester.org.uk 