Francesco Pasinetti's Photography and Film on View in Rome

Nearly seventy years after his death, a new exhibition in Rome showcases the photographic and cinematic work of Francesco Pasinetti (Venice, 1911 – Rome, 1949). Known to the public as a film critic, screenwriter, and director—one of the collateral prizes of the Venice International Film Festival bears his name—Pasinetti was among Italy's most prolific cinema intellectuals. In his thirty-seven years, he produced a vast body of work, from documentaries to film criticism and teaching, including a stint as director of the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome. His 1934 feature Il canale degli angeli is considered the first neorealist film, predating the movement's official emergence. The exhibition, titled Pasinetti fotografo e cineasta, is curated by Carlo Montanaro and organized by Istituto Luce – Cinecittà in collaboration with the CSC – Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. Held at the Teatro dei Dioscuri al Quirinale, the show presents eighty photographs divided into three sections: oblique views of Venice, cinema portraits that alone justify a visit, and a final section of varied people and situations, all united by Pasinetti's intelligent and curious gaze.