Luca Peretti works as an assistant professor at the University of Cambridge. He has coedited volumes on terrorism and cinema, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Italian cinema and Algeria, and Italian cinema and the former Portuguese colonies, and written a book on the history of the unrealized project for an Italian film on the Algerian war.
When The Battle of Algiers premiered at the Venice Film Festival 60 years ago this month, the French delegation refused to attend. From the moment of its shooting, in the aftermath of Algeria’s liberation war, Gillo Pontecorvo’s film was deeply political.
Algeria’s national cinema emerged from the cross-cultural exchange and solidarity that was vital to resisting French colonialism and war. It’s a striking example of the internationalist energies of film committed to national liberation struggles.
Venice's International Film Festival is awarding Roberto Benigni this year’s Golden Lion for lifetime achievement. Announcing the award, the festival called Benigni a model of transgressive filmmaking. In fact, for decades, the Life Is Beautiful star has symbolized how onetime radicals turn into purveyors of conformist schmaltz.
Italy's illustrious Marxist filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci died last week. His films explored the death of the bourgeoisie; his legacy points us to the death of the chauvinist male auteur.
A look at the life and politics of Pier Paolo Pasolini, heterodox communist.