The attendance during the first night of the Los Angeles, Italia Film Festival 2014, taking place February 23 through March 1, confirms the awakening and the interest in the Italian film industry – a long-awaited sleeping (great) beauty.
The Silver Lining Playbooks director, David O. Russell, was introduced by Mark Canton to the warm and welcoming audience of the 9th edition of the Hollywood based most awaited pre-Oscar event as a true “maestro”.
Russell made his appearance on stage towards the end of the 2014 opening ceremony that vaunted a massive attendance hardly contained by the theatre that could not accommodate all the press and guests who came to participate in the event.
Giuseppe Perrone, Consul General of Italy in Los Angeles, said on Russell’s Italian recognition. “Our country is so very proud. You are not just an American and an International artist, you are an Italian artist and most importantly, you are Calabrian as well”, concluded Giuseppe Perrone referring to Russell’s mother and maternal grandparents’ Italian-American origins.
The American Hustle director was honored and grateful for the recognition received yesterday night as he revealed “I do feel at home when I am in Italy”. Russell also explained what a great honor and privilege has been to meet “the greatest Italian film maker ever”, Lina Wertmuller, even though “she could not explain why she has a German name when I asked her”, he jokingly clarified.
Russell told the audience that “It’s a great privilege to be telling stories”, and he then thanked all his family and friends who came to support him as “it’s support that gets me through making films”, he admitted.
Given the promising inauguration, it’s easy to anticipate an even bigger crowd and success animating the rest of the whole week at the TCL Chinese Theatre.
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