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Reviews
La sapienza (2014)
La Sapienza
This is an excellent film. I look forward to seeing it a second time as there is so much to absorb/think about. What is unique is that the director chose to not develop the plot in a traditional manner. It is somewhat of a cross between a drama and a documentary. The present day characters serve to help us understand what the director wants to convey. The rogerebert.com review and an article and review on the New York Times site are useful to read before watching the film.
La Sapienza is a film about having knowledge about the past and the present, about people and relationships, and places to achieve a better, satisfying life. It is not accident that it is about knowledge as the Italian word Sapienza derives from the Italian verb sapere, to know.
The Stone River (2013)
very well done documentary
In the hands of this Italian Director, Giovanni Donfrancesco, the Vermont WPA STORIES PROJECT (1939-40) brings to life the lives of those who came to the U.S., primarily from Italy to work in the quarries of Barre, VT. They immigrated in the late 1800s through the early 1900s. The life they hoped for was not a reality given their work with granite as it slowly killed them, prematurely. The film takes place primarily in Barre, VT including Hope Cemetery with its beautiful tombstones that tell us more and where many Italians are buried. Local people, some descendants of these worker read from the stories. The cinematography Is beautifully done.. Music was great too. The end was handled with grace.
The audience's generous applause after its showing at the National Archives in Washington DC demonstrated how much it appreciated the film.
Sacro GRA (2013)
Very Disappointed by this Film
I believe my review contains no spoilers unless you consider my view that revealing that to us this was a documentary with no sense its purpose. In that case, don't print it.
My husband and I saw it today at an Environmental Film Festival as I generally like Italian films. We were unable to discern what the director wanted to convey with the film. or how it fit with the theme of the film festival. We were introduced to some people who lived near this Sacro GRA but have no idea if these people were a minority, majority or whatever as many people live near it. The man in front of us went to sleep. We had to pay $20 to see it. The theater held 402 people, and there were about 30 people there, if that many. I believe this was the only time this film showed in the Washington DC area. There was no applause after the film.