IS Nostalgia from Mario Martone the movie chosen to represent Italy at the 2023 Academy Awards. Presented last May at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was greeted with 10 minutes of applause, it is taken from thehomonymous novel by Ermanno Rea. The protagonist is one of the most representative actors of his generation: Pierfrancesco Favino.
Nostalgiathe long run to the statuette
The road to the coveted statuette is still long, but if the Academy accepts the film’s nomination, March 12, 2023 Favino, Martone and the rest of the cast will walk the red carpet of the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. Up for grabs is the recognition of the Academy as best foreign film (Feature Film Award).
Before then, there will be two more steps to overcome. First of all, the announcement of the 15 best international films selected by the Academy. Announcement to be made on 21 December. The second, the announcement of the Final nominationsunveiled about a month later, that is on January 24.
To establish that Nostalgia should have a chance at the highest awards of the seventh art, the Italian commission responsible, composed of Nicola Borrelli, Laura Delli Colli, Arianna Finos, Concetta Gulino, Ferzan Ozpetek, Andrea Romeo, Matteo Rovere, Iginio Staffi and Alessandra Querzola.
Piefrancesco Favino, protagonist of the film “Nostalgia”. (Mario Spada, Fosforo press office)
The list of 12 nominated films
Regarding the complete list of nominated filmsit’s about 12 titles, distributed in Italy in the period between 1 January and 30 November 2022. It is about: Mindemicby Giovanni Basso; Clearby Susanna Nicchiarelli; Danteby Pupi Avati; Giuliaby Ciro De Caro; The Hummingbirdby Francesca Archibugi; The lord of the antsby Gianni Amelio; The immensityby Emanuele Crialese; The strangenessby Roberto Andò; The shadow of Caravaggioby Michele Placido; The eight mountainsby Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch; Small bodyby Laura Samani e Nostalgiaby Mario Martone, in fact.
Many of these were featured in Venice 79, which ended on 10 September. Among all, they remember The immensity of Crialese and The lord of the ants di Amelio, who helped to turn the spotlight on the International Film Festival. Nostalgiainstead, it was released in theaters on May 25thone day after being presented in Cannes.
At the French festival he received a nomination for the Palme d’Or for best film. In Italy, in addition to the nomination for best film, it won in the categories: Best Director, Best Lead Actor, Best Supporting Actor (Francesco Di Leva and Tommaso Ragno) and best script to Mario Martone and his wife Ippolita Di Majo.
Tommaso Ragno in Mario Martone’s film “Nostalgia”, in which he plays Oreste. (Mario Spada, Fosforo press office)
Nostalgiathe plot of the movie
After forty years spent in Egypt, Felice Lasco (Pierfrancesco Favino) returns to Naples, in the Sanità district. The neighborhood where he grew up, but which he left to build a life elsewhere. Now, he wants to find again the elderly mother, Teresa (Aurora Quattrocchi) and reconnect with one’s roots. In particular with Oreste (Tommaso Ragno)with whom he spent his childhood and with whom he shares a secret.
After the death of Teresa, in fact, he remains in Naples and his path crosses with that of Don Luigi Raga (Francesco Di Leva), engaged in the fight against the Camorra. With the priest he establishes an important relationship, of trust, and, during a confession, he makes some revelations about his past.
In particular, confesses the thefts committed as a boy together with Oreste. Above all, he confesses that during one of these, his friend killed the owner of a carpentry. Don Luigi has an unexpected reaction, which opens up a new scenario: he throws Felice out of the church and explains to him that today Oreste is a Camorra boss, known as ‘or Malomm.
Francesco Di Leva, in “Nostalgia”. (Mario Spada, Fosforo press office)
The finale and the rest of the cast
The priest is not the only one to warn him. A friend of Teresa’s does the same, advising him to leave Naples. Regardless of danger, he goes out of his way to meet his friend. He succeeds, but it is evident that the two men have changed. Oreste does not forgive him for having abandoned Naples years earlier and ponder revenge. Intact, he stalks him and kills him in an alley. Also, he takes the money from his wallet, inside which is a photo of the two of them as young people riding a motorcycle.
The nostalgia evoked in the title is none other than the dualism with which Felice has to fight. On the one hand, there is a new life, the one that he built away from Naples and from the bad memories of childhood. On the other, the call of the earth, of its origins, that captivate him like the siren song. To add the quid to the film, then, an extraordinary Favinowhich, again, provides yet another proof from chameleon actor which is.
In addition to the actors already mentioned, complete the cast: Sofia Essaïdi (Felice’s wife), Nello Mascia (Raffaele), Emanuele Palumbo (Happy as a young man), Ar Tem (Orestes as a young man), Salvatore Striano (Gegè), Daniela Ioia (Teresa as a young man) e Virginia Apicella (Adel).
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