Torino Film Festival 37 Opens with Taika Waititi's Jojo Rabbit

The 37th Torino Film Festival commenced on an undisclosed date and will continue until November 30, 2019, with Emanuela Martini at the helm. Its motto, "Sarà una risata che vi seppellirà" ("It will be a laugh that buries you"), is inspired by 19th-century Russian anarchist Mikhail Bakunin and was embraced by Italy's 1977 movement. The festival kicked off with Jojo Rabbit, a black comedy directed by Taika Waititi, who also stars in it, based on Christine Leunens' novel Caging Skies. The film features actors such as Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, and Scarlett Johansson, and is set for Italian release on January 16, 2020. The narrative centers on 10-year-old Jojo and his imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler, during WWII, with a pastel color palette reminiscent of Wes Anderson. The soundtrack includes David Bowie's "Heroes," and it draws parallels to Roberto Benigni's Life Is Beautiful. Roman Griffin Davis, attending the festival, shared he once had an imaginary friend named Luke Skywalker.