Presented by Palace in conjunction with Luna Palace Cinemas, the 18th Lavazza Italian Film Festival (LIFF) will screen at Cinema Paradiso and Luna on SX from September 21 – October 11, showcasing a huge program of Italian cinema.

The festival will kick off in spectacular style with an Opening Night Gala screening at Cinema Paradiso of the Italian Golden Globes award-winning comedy LET YOURSELF GO!, starring Toni Servillo as the uptight psychoanalyst Elia, whose life is upended when he becomes involved with the effervescent personal trainer Claudia (Veronica Echegui) - a woman well-versed in matters of the body but less so of the mind. The film will be followed by an after party with Italian food, wine and live entertainment at Connections Night Club. Luna on SX will also celebrate with an Opening Night Reception with Italian food, wine and live entertainment before the film.

LIFF is thrilled to announce Milan-born Italian/Australian actor Greta Scacchi as this year’s Festival Ambassador. Scacchi will participate in Q&As at selected festival screenings of TENDERNESS (LA TENEREZZA), Gianni Amelio’s latest film, in which she features. Best known for her AFI Award-winning performance in Looking for Alibrandi, Scacchi also made a name for herself internationally in films such as White Mischief, Presumed Innocent and The Player.

There will also be a special event screening of DALIDA, Lisa Azuelos’ glitzy biopic of the acclaimed music icon who gained celebrity in the 50s, singing in Italian, French, Spanish, Arabic, Hebrew and German. Gather your friends for a bellisima night out with a pre-screening reception at Paradiso featuring a Molinari Limoncello cocktail on arrival and live music.

LIFF Closing Nightwill feature a special 20th anniversary screening at Paradiso and SX of Roberto Benigni’s Best Foreign Language Oscar winning classic LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (LA VITA È BELLA), with pre-screening Campari Aperol spritz, Stella Artois and Connoisseur gourmet ice cream.

Festival highlights include Edoardo De Angelis’s (Perez, LIFF15) David di Donatello Award-winning INDIVISIBLE (INDIVISIBILI), the story of conjoined twin sisters exploited by their father, who makes money from their singing.which will feature as the festival’s Centrepiece film; FORTUNATA, starring Jasmine Trinca (Wondrous Boccaccio LIFF’15) in a performance that earned her the Best Actress Award in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival; and EMMA , by Silvio Solidi, the director of the beloved hit Bread & Tulips and starring Valeria Golino.

Language-teaching schools are also invited to special screenings of FROM NAPLES WITH LOVE (TROPPO NAPOLETANO), a joyous romantic comedy about a young boy and his psychologist.

For the first time Palace will also present a new initiative as part of the 2017 LIFF with six outstanding Italian films in official competition for the Bulgari Critics’ Choice Award.

The winning film will be decided upon by a jury featuring Italian born Australian actress and Festival Ambassador Greta Scacchi, Radio National film critic Jason di Rosso, director Ruth Borgobello, actor Daniela Farinacci, actor Damian Walshe-Howling and Bulgari Australia Managing Director Brad Harvey.

View Perth session times here

Download the full programme here

Click here to view the full list of session times

The Lavazza Italian Film Festival is is sponsored in Perth by The West Australian.

KEEP IN TOUCH

Twitter: @ItalianFF
Facebook: /lavazzaitalianfilmfestival
Hashtag: #italianff

For more information or group booking enquiries contact:

Lucy Gibson

Marketing & Publicity Manager, Luna Palace Cinemas

E: lucy@lunapalace.com.au

T: +61 8 9227 1771

The Czech and Slovak Film Festival in Perth is proud to present for the third time a celebration of exciting Czech and Slovak cinema in Western Australia, screening at Cinema Paradiso from October 19 to 22.

The 2017 Czech and Slovak Film Festival is presented by The Czech and Slovak Association of Western Australia, which has been contributing to and preserving WA’s Czech and Slovak cultural heritage for over half a century and organised under the honorary patronage of the Consulate General of The Czech Republic in Sydney and Czech and Slovak Embassies in Canberra and with the support of many wonderful sponsors.

Showcasing an eclectic range of latest movies and genres, the festival is bringing eight inspiring and entertaining films that pay homage to the sophistication and sensuality of the Czechoslovak cinematography. Five of the featured movies are based on true events in Czech and Slovak history, most of them with an international impact.

The 2017 Festival will open with the compelling comedy drama The Teacher by the Oscar-nominated prolific director-writer duo Jan Hrebejk and Petr Jarchovsky, nominated for ten awards at the 2017 Czech Lion Award, including the Award for the Best Film, the Best Director Award and the Award for the Best Screenplay.

Closing Night will screen a not-to-be missed masterpiece, a story of the diplomat Jan Masaryk, son of the first president of Czechoslovakia A Prominent Patient, one of the latest Czech and Slovak internationally awarded films, winning not only twelve Czech Lions but also a prize at Berlinale.

Our very special guest, the renowned Czech film director, and actor Jiri Strach will present his very popular ‘Christmas fairy tale’, a comedy for the whole family that won several festival awards at the Czech Lion Awards, Angel of the Lord 2.

Slovak film Kidnapping is a very powerful and well-made political thriller, based on a real story from wild 90s in newly-independent Slovakia.

On a lighter note, every film will be preceded by a short animation of a children’s story before bed. And as in the past years, every festival visitor has a chance to win one of our fabulous prizes – the more films you see more chances you have. All films are screened with English subtitles and only once, so do not miss your chance and book your tickets early!

This is a third party event organised by the Czech and Slovak Association in WA. Festival films are restricted to persons aged 18 years and over unless specified.

Ticket prices: Opening Night $35; Closing Night $25; General tickets: Adults $19; students $15.50; seniors $15.50; children (under 15 years): $12. There is a $1.50 surcharge for tickets purchased online.

Presented by Palace, the Cunard British Film Festival will return in October 2017 with a standout selection of prestige film and box office hits from the British Isles.

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Twitter @BritFilmFestAUS

This event is sponsored in Perth by The West Australian

Raise your glasses, the Russian Resurrection Film Festival is returning to Cinema Paradiso from October 27 to November 1.

Stay tuned for the full programme announcement coming soon!