Paolo Sorrentino On ‘The Hand of God,’ Oscar Glory & Recreating 1980s Naples [Interview]

There were more famous faces stepping into the equally famous tent on Tuesday night for another edition of Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer.

Ukraine.Naples’ San Carlo Theater billed the event “Stand with Ukraine — Ballet for Peace.”Despite that description, the prospect of Russian dancers dancing on the same stage with Ukrainians reportedly angered Ukraine’s consul in Naples. The Italian daily La Repubblica quoted the consul as telling fellow Ukrainians in the southern Italian city to shun the performance.Among the stars in the event is prima ballerina Olga Smirnova, who quit the Bolshoi last month and is now dancing with the Dutch National Ballet. Another headliner is Anastasia Gurskaya, a top ballerina in Kyiv’s Opera, who fled the fighting in Ukraine.“I think it’s important in this situation, in this time, to be together on the stage.

Afternoon all, Max Goldbart here looking back on quite a week. Lots to digest so the Insider has you covered. Read on.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentItalian TV host Alessandro Cattelan will be among the three MCs of the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest, along with Italy’s Grammy-wining singer Laura Pausini and Lebanese/British pop star Mika. In addition to preparing for the biggest night for music in Europe, he recently made his debut on Netflix with one-man show “One Simple Question.” In the show, Cattelan embarks on a road trip in pursuit of a seemingly simple answer to a question from his daughter, Nina: “Daddy, how do you find happiness?” The quirky six-episode series, which dropped in 190 countries on March 18, sees the showman display his trademark deadpan humor as he searches for happiness through interviews and set-pieces with celebrity guests ranging from retired Italian soccer star Roberto Baggio, who is a practicing Buddhist, and Oscar-nominated director Paolo Sorrentino (“The Hand of God”), to a couple who are amateur porn stars and former Google X exec Mo Gawdat, author of a book titled “Solve for Happy.” Cattelan, who cut his teeth working for MTV and subsequently hosted the talent show “The X Factor” on Sky in Italy, talked to Variety about making the leap into the global streaming arena ahead of his gig for Eurovision, for which his main aspiration is “to make people laugh.” A dozen years ago I had an idea for a show where I would go on a road trip around the U.S.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentIn a move that will transform Italy’s relationship with Netflix, the Italian government has set a firm three-month time window between a movie’s theatrical release and when it can drop on a streaming platform.The announcement was made by Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini during a Rome confab on the state of the country’s film industry held by the country’s motion picture association ANICA.The minister said he has signed a law that will extend the existing 90-day theatrical window for Italian films that had benefitted from government subsidies to now include all films, regardless of where they are produced or how they are financed.Due to its having a more flexible windowing policy than France, Italy in recent years has been an interesting testing ground for the theatrical releases of Netflix titles, largely because the Venice Film Festival is a frequent launching pad for the platform’s original films.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThe Rome Film Festival is under new management following a political shake-up that has led to the appointment of RAI Cinema executive Paola Malanga as the fest’s artistic director and Gian Luca Farinelli, who heads the Bologna film archives, as president.Malanga, who was appointed late on Tuesday, replaces Antonio Monda, the New York based journalist and film academic who during his seven-year stint at the helm of the event secured a steady stream of high-caliber guests such as Quentin Tarantino, Tim Burton and Angelina Jolie, to mention a few names on the Rome red carpet at last year’s edition.Farinelli –– who has been appointed president of the Cinema Per Roma foundation that oversees the Rome fest –– takes the reins from Laura Delli Colli, a prominent film journo and critic who remains on the foundation’s board. The new Rome fest regime was prompted by the election last October of new Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri.The Eternal City extravaganza, which is the brainchild of former Rome mayor Walter Veltroni, has been undergoing management shake-ups due to Italy’s political spoils system ever since its launch in 2006 with Nicole Kidman on the red carpet and ambitions to rival Venice.While Delli Colli exited gracefully, Monda’s departure has been a bit more acrimonious.

everything.Whether they’re winners or presenters, A-listers have taken to the Academy Awards stage year after year, decade after decade, to voice their opinions on matters that plague the globe, hoping to enlighten the worldwide audience on whatever issue they feel so strongly about.The prestigious Oscars podium has become a designated, glorified soapbox for the so-called Hollywood elite to chime in on controversial topics including Hollywood’s gender pay gap, oppressed people’s rights and climate change — all subjects that have found their spotlight on the Dolby Theatre stage. This year’s star-studded ceremony — set for 8 p.m.

The beloved Encanto song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” will be performed at the Oscars this weekend, but it has no chance at winning the award for Best Original Song.

Oscar nomination for his role in Christmas film comedy, Elf.He made the comments ahead of this year’s Oscars ceremony and went on to say that he didn’t think comedy was represented enough in the nominations.The Love Actually director, who is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, said at the Oscar Wilde Awards in Los Angeles: “I always get very antsy about the fact that Will Ferrell didn’t get nominated for Elf.”“Or that Peter Sellers didn’t get nominated for Inspector Clouseau.”He added: “But it’s the price you pay, as it were. Comedies tend to make a bit of money, and then you don’t get the prizes.”Curtis went on to say that had Ferrell been nominated, he would have voted for him but that he “wasn’t given the chance”.He said that comedy is overlooked as a genre, “particularly the actors”.He continued: “I think it’s a real issue that comedy isn’t respected as much…but I do try and push for comedy performances whenever I can.” The 2022 Oscars takes place this Sunday (March 27).

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Joe Otterson TV ReporterBetty Gilpin will star in the lead role of Damon Lindelof and Tara Hernandez’s upcoming Peacock drama series “Mrs. Davis,” Variety has learned.The series was originally ordered in May 2021.

Fremantle Boosts Revenue By 25% For RTL Group

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThe upcoming Los Angeles-Italia Film Fashion and Art Festival will be honoring Italian directors Paolo Sorrentino (“The Hand of God”) and Enrico Casarosa (“Luca”) as well as costume-designer Massimo Cantini Parrini (“Cyrano”) all of whom have scored nominations for the upcoming Academy Awards. The 17th edition of the pre-Oscars event will be held March 20-26 at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre and also online.This year’s opening ceremony will be hosted by veteran Italian-American actor Robert Davi, who is also this year’s president of the event. Sofia Milos (“CSI: Miami”) and Hollywood acting coach Bernard Hiller will co-host.Consul General of Italy Silvia Chiave and Italian Institute of Culture chief Emanuele Amendola will also be introducing honorees both at the Chinese Theatre and during a separate March 25 event being held at the Italian Institute of Culture.

Lauren Sorrentino’s hands are full! The Jersey Shore: Family Vacation star doesn’t sugarcoat the highs and lows of working motherhood while raising son Romeo.