With just over a hundred days to go before the 'night of the stars', the director of Nostalgia, Italy's nominee for best international film, came to New York for the film’s American premiere at the ‘Italy On Screen Today’ festival, conceived and directed by Loredana Commonara.
"It’s a neorealist film with, non-actors accompanying an extraordinary cast led by Pierfrancesco Favino. A tragic film that speaks to the world," said Martone at a press conference at the Italian Consulate in New York.
The North American rights to the film, which premiered in May at Cannes, were acquired a fortnight ago by Breaking Glass Pictures. The drama about two childhood friends, Felice and Oreste, will continue its journey through festivals in the US before debuting in theatres in early 2023.
Nostalgia, produced by Picomedia and Mad Entertainment in association with Medusa films "tells the story of a neighbourhood, but speaks to the world," said Martone, alongside co-writer Ippolita di Majo and producer Luciano Stella.
Felice Lasca, the protagonist, returns to Naples as an adult after 40 years spent in the Middle East, during which he had cut ties with his roots. Favino, who plays him, learnt Arabic for the film.
"It is a film that captures the minds and hearts of those who live far from their hometown," said Commonara, who brought her review forward by a month for the film’s debut at the Bryant Park Hotel in front of an audience that included some Academy members.
For the Best International Feature Film Award, each country can only nominate one work for Oscar consideration; a rule recently criticised by 'Variety'. On December 21, Martone will know whether Nostalgia will be included in the shortlist of 15 films from which the nominations will be announced on January 24. Oscar night is scheduled for March 12.
Entry to the shortlist is not a foregone conclusion: Among the contenders from countries that have already made their nominations ― the deadline was October 3, but the Academy has not yet released the full list ― are Alice Diop's French Saint Omer with two awards at Venice 79, including the Golden Lion, Tarik Saleh's film Boy from Heaven, awarded at Cannes, for Sweden, Lukas Dhont's Belgian Close and Marie Kreutzer's Corsage, which is about a year in the life of Empress Elisabeth, nominated by Austria.
Nostalgia enters the ring with the five Silver Ribbons won at Cannes, including best director, leading actor (Favino) and supporting actor (Tommaso Ragno and Francesco Di Leva).
