<<< June 10 - 15, 2005 >>>

These films will screen exclusively at the Aero.

This tribute is an homage to one of Italy’s best-loved performers and directors, Massimo Troisi (1953 – 1994), who created a personal, droll, melancholic and unpretentious cinema rooted in the culture, language and every day reality of Naples. His art spoke to the Italians of his generation. For millions of them, his austere black comedies communicated the emotional education, the frustrations, the anxiety and the longing of the late 1970’s and 1980’s. His work has often been compared to Truffaut’s Antoine Doinel films. He was however, profoundly Neapolitan and his art, although very much his own creation, continued the tradition of the great Eduardo De Filippo and Totò.

Troisi was born February 19, 1953 in a village near Naples. With his friends Lello Arena and Enzo Decaro, he formed a small theatre group which, among other works, staged Troisi’s musical satire "Non si vive di Solo Pane" (You Don’t Live By Bread Alone). The trio worked in cabarets, in theater and eventually on television. After the enormous success of his debut film, I’M STARTING FROM THREE (RICOMINCIO DA TRE), Troisi continued to write, act in and direct his own projects, as well as work with other filmmakers, most notably Ettore Scola. Troisi won the Best Actor Award at the 1989 Venice Film Festival for his performance in Scola’s CHE ORA È?. Troisi died at the age of 41 on June 4, 1994, of a heart attack in Ostia, near Rome. He had just finished working on Michael Radford’s THE POSTMAN (IL POSTINO), a film that would ironically go on to worldwide success and introduce Troisi’s work to a much wider audience than he ever knew during his lifetime.

Friday, June 10 – 7:30 PM

THE WAYS OF THE LORD ARE LIMITED (LE VIE DEL SIGNORE SONO FINITE), 1987, Cecchi Gori Group, Esterno Cinematografica; copy courtesy of Cinecittà Holding, 117 min. Dir. Massimo Troisi. Since he broke up with his girlfriend Vittoria (Jo Champa), Camillo (Troisi) suffers from a strange, unidentifiable paralysis. The doctor thinks he’s suffering from the disease on purpose in order to attract the girl’s attention. It’s Italy in the 1920’s, therefore the case attracts the focus of the whole town. Camillo’s brother, Leone, dedicates all his time to his sibling and secretly does not want him to heal, for he has found fulfillment for his empty life. On his way to Lourdes, Camillo meets Orlando, a real paraplegic, and the two become friends. Meanwhile, Vittoria, though engaged to another man, is still secretly in love with Camillo … Will true love heal all in the end?? With Jo Champa, Enzo Cannavale and Marco Messeri.

Los Angeles Premiere!!

I'M STARTING FROM THREE (RICOMINCIO DA TRE), 1981, IIF, RAI, copy courtesy of Cinecittà Holding,109 min. Massimo Troisi’s debut film as director (and a huge hit in his native Italy), RICOMINCIO DA TRE has never been seen before in the U.S. – until now! Timid young Neapolitan Gaetano (played by Troisi) feels alienated from his family and environment. Reckoning that he has accomplished one or two good things in his life, and unwilling to just give up, he decides to "Start over from three". After moving to Florence and visiting numerous households (his aunt’s, a young nurse’s, an Italian-American youngster’s), he’s shocked by Florentine reality and goes back to Naples, only to find himself once more uncomfortable. So he resolutely heads back to Florence to try to adapt to a new situation. Starring Lello Arena, Marta Bifano and Carmine Farraco. Discussion in between films with actress Jo Champa.

An Aero Theatre Exclusive!

Saturday, June 11 – 5:00 PM

I THOUGHT IT WAS LOVE (PENSAVO FOSSE AMORE INVECE ERA UN CALESSE), 1991, Cecchi Gori Group, Esterno Mediterraneo, copy courtesy of Cinecittà Holding, 115 min. The last film that Massimo Troisi directed is an engaging comedy about a harried Everyman (played by Troisi) who loses his fiancée on their wedding day. The delightful Francesca Neri co-stars as Troisi’s temperamental girlfriend, dragging him around by the hair.

An Aero Theatre Exclusive!

Saturday, June 11 – 8:00 PM

THE POSTMAN (IL POSTINO), 1994, Miramax, 114 min. Dir. Michael Radford. The film was inspired by an incident in the life of the renowned Chilean poet and diplomat Pablo Neruda (Philippe Noiret), who was forced into exile and granted sanctuary by the Italian government. Arriving on a remote island off the southern coast of Italy, he hires the uneducated Mario (Massimo Troisi) as his personal postman. Mario slowly gains the aloof man’s confidence and a touching and improbable friendship begins as the postman learns that within a man’s words lies his soul.

An Aero Theatre Exclusive!

Sunday, June 12 – 5:00 PM

NOTHING LEFT TO DO BUT CRY (NON CI RESTA CHE PIANGERE), 1984, Yarno/Luna Rossa Cinematografica, Cecchi Gori Group, copy courtesy of Cinecittà Holding, 112 min. Italy’s most popular comedians, Massimo Troisi and Roberto Benigni (LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL), co-directed and starred in this goofy, irresistible collection of slapstick gags, as two bickering friends who find themselves suddenly transported back in time to the late 15th century. Troisi and Benigni riff off each other like an Italian version of Abbott and Costello; look for the scene where Troisi warbles the Beatles’ "Yesterday" (which won’t be written for another five hundred years!) to impress a girl.

An Aero Theatre Exclusive!

Wednesday, June 15 – 7:30 PM

SORRY FOR THE DELAY (SCUSATE IL RITARDO), 1982, Cecchi Gori Group, Esterno Mediterraneo, copy courtesy of Cinecittà Holding, 112 min. Massimo Troisi directs and stars in the story of three Neapolitans: young Vincenzo who is unenthusiastic about landing a steady job; Tonino, a man who cannot get over the loss of his girlfriend; and Anna, still suffering from an unfortunate love affair but hoping to find in Vincenzo the next liaison. Although Vincenzo is also attracted to Anna, she ends up leaving him, dissatisfied by his slow, tedious approach to life. Desperate Vicenzo hopes Tonino and his family will help him out. But in he meantime, Tonino has fallen in love again and has no time for his poor friend. Will Anna realize that she should accept Vicenzo as he is and go back to him? With Giuliana de Sio, Lina Polito, Francesco Acampora.

An Aero Theatre Exclusive!