Cinema Ritrovato: Bologna, Italy, June 26-July 3, 2010

Abstract

O staggering number of film festivals crowd the global arts calendar today. The majority are slick, bloated, and unnecessary, with precious few worthy of regular attendance. Among the rare and important exceptions is the Cinema Ritrovato held each June in Bologna, Italy. Organized by the Cineteca de Bologna, the Cinema Ritrovato is one of the few major film events that is driven both by a genuine and infectious cinephilia and by a clearly defined pedagogical ambition. Dedicated to the exploration of film history's unwritten chapters, each year the festival's chief curators, Peter von Bagh, Guy Borlee, and Gian Luca Farinelli, organize a broad selection of exciting thematic programs that gather treasures from around the world, combining the discovery of obscure and neglected films and filmmakers with, as the festival's title declares, the rediscovery of more familiar works. The bulk of the screenings take place during the day in the Cineteca's two theaters, with widescreen films usually reserved for a grand old movie palace nearby, the beloved Arlecchino, which boasts wonderful sight lines and plush seats. But each evening at ten o'clock, the magnificent Piazza Maggiore, at the heart of the medieval city and framed by gorgeous palazzos and the massive Basilica of San Pietro, is transformed into an incredible outdoor cinema thanks to the Cineteca's superb state-of-the-art projection. One of the highlights of the Cinema Ritrovato is the thrilling spectacle of beautiful prints of classics such as The Leopard (II gattopardo; Luchino Visconti, 1963), The African Queen (John Huston, 1951), and Roma (Federico Fellini, 1972)