The Cineteca di Bologna, one of Europe’s most renowned archives for film restoration and preservation, and the School of Film and Television at Loyola Marymount University present Il Cinema Ritrovato: Rediscovered Film, a mini-film festival held on the LMU campus March 14, 15 and 16. The free festival features a selection of classic restored films from acclaimed filmmakers Sergio Leone, Satyajit Ray, Luchino Visconti and Roberto Rossellini as well as Stig Björkman’s 2015 documentary Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words.
Il Cinema Ritrovato: Rediscovered Film opens with the extended version of Once Upon a Time in America, Sergio Leone’s Italian-American epic gangster drama that reportedly received a 15-minute standing ovation at its 1984 Cannes Film Festival premiere. The extended version, restored by the Bologna Cineteca and unveiled at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, includes 22 minutes of footage that was cut during editing in 1984. The last labor in Leone’s career, the film stars Robert DeNiro and James Woods, and includes a beautiful musical score by Ennio Morricone.
The festival continues with five additional films curated by Guy Borlée of Cineteca di Bologna, LMU School of Film and Television Dean Stephen Ujlaki and Dr. Richard P. Hadley, SFTV Interim Program Director/Associate Professor of Film & TV Studies.
“I am excited to co-curate this year’s festival. We will be screening three restored films that were part of last summer’s Il Cinema Ritrovato festival in Bologna: Rocco and his Brothers (Luchino Visconti, 1960) and parts I and II of Satyajit Ray’s Apu Trilogy, Pather Panchali (1955) and Aparajito (1956). We will also screen a restoration of Roberto Rossellini’s Voyage to Italy (1954) starring Ingrid Bergman, and the new Ingrid Bergman documentary, Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words by Stig Björkman, who was a visiting artist at the School of Film and Television a few years ago,” said Dr. Hadley.
“Cineteca of Bologna is very happy to bring to Los Angeles a small selection of its festival Il Cinema Ritrovato, which has been defined as ‘pure heaven for cinephiles.’ In one week, we let our audience dive into the pleasure of unique screenings, to discover the best restorations of the year (film print or digital), to meet renowned experts on film history as well as protagonists of the current cinema. The 30th edition will take place from June 25 – July 2, 2016. This year, we will also host the international Congress of the Fédération Internationale des Archives du Film (FIAF). So Bologna will become the natural meeting place for film lovers,” said Borlée.
Dean Ujlaki commented, “We are thrilled to welcome Il Cinema Ritrovato back to campus for the fourth year. One of the best ways to support film restoration is by giving our students and community the opportunity to experience these cinematic treasures on the big screen.”
Il Cinema Ritrovato: Rediscovered Film
restored films from Cineteca di Bologna
March 14 – 16, 2016
Free screenings, open to the public; RSVP required
Mayer Theater, LMU Campus
