Assayas and Mattotti at Rome Film Fest: Cinema, Illustration, and Critique
At the 14th Rome Film Festival, director Olivier Assayas and illustrator Lorenzo Mattotti headlined a day dedicated to artistic freedom. Assayas, known for his diverse and complex films, discussed his avoidance of film criticism, comparing star ratings to TripAdvisor and praising essayistic dialogue. He noted the decline of print cinephile magazines like Cahiers du Cinéma and the rise of accessible online writing. Mattotti presented 'The Famous Invasion of the Bears in Sicily,' an animated adaptation of Dino Buzzati's 1945 story, blending visual, linguistic, and musical layers with symbolism. The film, screening at Alice nella Città, features voices by Toni Servillo, Antonio Albanese, and the late Andrea Camilleri in what may be his final role. Released on November 7 by Bim Distribuzione, it explores themes of nature, freedom, and power.
Key facts
- 14th Rome Film Festival (Romaff14) featured Olivier Assayas and Lorenzo Mattotti.
- Assayas discussed his past as a critic for Cahiers du Cinéma and his avoidance of reading reviews.
- Assayas contrasted star-rating criticism with essayistic dialogue about cinema.
- He noted the migration of film criticism from print to the internet.
- Mattotti directed 'The Famous Invasion of the Bears in Sicily,' based on Dino Buzzati's 1945 book.
- The film premiered at Alice nella Città during the festival.
- Voice cast includes Toni Servillo, Antonio Albanese, Linda Caridi, Maurizio Lombardi, Corrado Invernizzi, Corrado Guzzanti, and Andrea Camilleri.
- The film was released on November 7 by Bim Distribuzione.
- The story combines visual, linguistic, and musical narrative levels with symbolism and mythology.
- Themes include nature, animal world, dictatorship, freedom, seduction of power, and oral tradition.
Entities
Artists
- Olivier Assayas
- Lorenzo Mattotti
- Dino Buzzati
- Toni Servillo
- Antonio Albanese
- Linda Caridi
- Maurizio Lombardi
- Corrado Invernizzi
- Corrado Guzzanti
- Andrea Camilleri
- Margherita Bordino
Institutions
- Rome Film Festival
- Alice nella Città
- Cahiers du Cinéma
- Positif
- Jeune Cinéma
- Le Monde
- Libération
- Télérama
- Bim Distribuzione
- Artribune
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- France
- Hong Kong
- Sicily
- Cannes