Roberto Faenza | |
|---|---|
 Faenza at the 2012Miami International Film Festival presentation ofSomeday This Pain Will Be Useful to You | |
| Born | (1943-02-21)21 February 1943 (age 82) |
| Occupation | Film director |
| Years active | 1968–present |
Roberto Faenza (born 21 February 1943 in Turin) is an Italian film director. He received a degree in Political Science and a diploma at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia.
Faenza made his directing debut in 1968 with the international success,Escalation, a film that describes the different sides of power through the relationship between a middle-class father and his hippie son. Immediately after that he directedH2S, an angry apology of the 1968 movement, seized two days after its release and not distributed since. Upon this sequestration he travelled to the United States to teach at the Federal City College of Washington DC.
In 1978 he directedForza Italia!, a ferocious satire on the power of the Italian Christian Democrat party covering thirty years of Italian political history. The film was withdrawn from the theatres on the dayAldo Moro, president of the Christian Democrats, was kidnapped, and remains banned for over 15 years. Aldo Moro being the one who will end his life recommending (in his handwritten memoirs found in the den of theRed Brigades in via Monte Nevoso inMilan) to see the film "if one wants to realize the recklessness of his fellow party members".[1][2]
In 1980 Faenza chose the Italian Communist Party as subject matter withSi salvi chi vuole. Considered as apolitically incorrect director, he was forced to work outside ofItaly to be able to find financing: in 1983 he filmedCopkiller inNew York City withHarvey Keitel,Nicole Garcia and the leader of theSex Pistols,Johnny Rotten.
His activities are not limited to cinema: author of essays and books (best known among them:Senza chiedere permesso,Il malaffare,Gli americani in Italia), upon his return in Italy he starts teaching Mass Communication at Pisa University. AfterCopkiller he became inspired by literature as a source of stories.
In 1990 he directedThe Bachelor, based on a short story byArthur Schnitzler with a wide cast of profiled actors:Keith Carradine,Miranda Richardson,Kristin Scott Thomas andMax von Sydow. In 1993 he directedJonah Who Lived in the Whale starring actress Juliet Aubrey for which he was awarded theDavid di Donatello for Best Director. The film was entered into the18th Moscow International Film Festival where it won the Prix of Ecumenical Jury.[3]
Two years later another novel (this time byAntonio Tabucchi) was the source:Sostiene Pereira,Marcello Mastroianni's last Italian film, the latter awarded with aDavid di Donatello as Best Leading Actor. In 1997 he directedMarianna Ucrìa based on the novelLa lunga vita di Marianna Ucria byDacia Maraini. It was entered into the20th Moscow International Film Festival.[4]
In 1999 he directedThe Lost Lover, inspired by the bestseller byAbraham B. Yehoshua about the ongoing clash betweenJews andPalestinians. In 2003 he received international success withThe Soul Keeper, based on the burning passion betweenCarl Gustav Jung and his young Russian patientSabina Spielrein.
His most recent films are:Come into the Light, about the life ofPino Puglisi, the parish priest killed inPalermo bythe Mafia in 1993, played byLuca Zingaretti (Nomination European Academy Award (EFA) as Best Director 2005; David Giovani Best Film Award; Flaiano Best Leading Actor Award and Audience Award for the Best Film; Best Leading Actor Award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2005; San Fedele Best Film Award);The Days of Abandonment, inspired on the novel byElena Ferrante, withMargherita Buy, Luca Zingaretti and the musicianGoran Bregović.I Vicerè based on the 1894 novel byFederico De Roberto was released in 2007.
In 2012 he directedSomeday This Pain Will Be Useful to You, shot in New York and based on the novel byPeter Cameron, starredEllen Burstyn andMarcia Gay Harden. Also starring in the film wasToby Regbo,Peter Gallagher,Deborah Ann Woll,Lucy Liu andStephen Lang.
