Just Like the Movies

Just Like the Movies
F
or the fourth consecutive year, Effetto Cinema
Notte is turning Lucca – and this year for the
first time, Viareggio – into a giant set. As the
closing event to Lucca Film Festival and
Europa Cinema (3 to 10 April), Effetto Cinema Notte
will be a blockbuster, thanks to its creators Nicola
Borrelli, Stefano Giuntini and Cristina Puccinelli and to
its sponsoring organization the Fondazione Banca del
Monte di Lucca. Last year's event attracted over 30,000
people, but this year is due to be even bigger.
According to Stefano Giuntini, the idea of Effetto
Cinema Notte emerged when he and Nicola Borrelli,
president of Lucca Film Festival, were eating pizza
together. He told me: Films are like pizzas: I may prefer a
Margherita and you a Quattro stagioni, but everyone
likes pizza. You may love Truffaut and I may love
Terry Gilliam, but everyone loves the
movies. Borrelli and I have traveled
to film festivals all over Europe, and
we wanted to bring this energy and
enjoyment to our region.
In Viareggio the events take place on
2 April between Piazza Mazzini and
Caffè Fappani, along the Passaggiata.
Four theatrical companies will be
offering spontaneous and itinerant
performances based on famous films or
cartoons. Amici miei - Act II by Mario
Monicelli will be interpreted by the
Filodrammatica Quiesa. La Piccola
Bottega della Musica will bring scenes
from musicals and animated films to life.
The Oliving Theatre will re-create
Benvenuti in casa Gori. Finally, Silvana
Pampanini and Delia Scala will be celebrated
as the real-life Bellezze in bicicletta (1951)
who inspired that film. Within the context of
Effetto Cinema Notte Viareggio, the blood
donors organization A. Vallisneri will have a
booth for Dallo e Vola (Give Blood and Soar).
In Lucca on 9 April the MAIN EVENT will feature filmmaker George Romero at The Zombie Citadel in Piazza
Antelminelli and Piazza San Martino. Romero began creating
zombie films back in 1968 with The Night of the Living Dead.
More recently, he has made videogames (Zombie Squash in 2012)
and the Marvel Comics miniseries Empire of the Dead (in 2014).
Romero will supervise and present this event, which starts at 7
p.m. and ends at 1 a.m. International body painting champion
Giulia Ronzoni will help transform fans into zombies for the
Zombi Parade, and thirsty/hungry zombies will no doubt stop in
at Undici-Undici Bistro in Piazza Antelminelli.
There will be three Main Performances: Romeo & Giulietta
(production of the Teatro del Giglio, Cataldo Russo and Stefano
Giuntini) at Gelatarium in Via Vittorio Veneto; Puccini at the
Movies (by Fondazione Puccini and Giovanni Fedeli) at
Biglietteria Puccini in Piazza Cittadella; and Ratatouille (based
on the animated children’s film) by Cristina Puccinelli at
Lu.C.C.A. Museum (Via della Fratta 36), with Michelin-star chef
Cristiano Tomei preparing this French dish.
There will be three Special Events: An Evening with Dylan
Dog & Dampyr (curated by Bonelli Editore) at the Via Michele
10
Rosi bars De Cervesia, Cicli Divino and Il
Bardo; The Wizard of Oz from Ibiza
Bloop Festival at Darkside (Via S.
Frediano 24); Labyrinth: Tribute to
David Bowie by Massimiliano Poggi at
Betty Blue (Via del Gonfalone, 16/18).
Throughout town, bars and restaurants
will be enlivened by theatrical groups.
These events have been organized geographically and thematically:
Heroes & Superheroes: Tim Burton's
Batman at Bar Casali, Captain Hook at
Rewine, Il Cavaliere Oscuro at
Peschino, Superman at Bar Moka,
James Bond at Il Bernino, Dick
Tracy at Franklin'33, Kill Bill 2 at
Bollicine d'Autore.
Love + Music: Via col Vento at
Soup in Town, School of Rock at Il
Merendero, Chicago at Ristorante
Del Giglio, Grease at Bar Astra,
Dirty Dancing at Big Town Chupiteria, Jesus
Christ Superstar at Da Ciacco.
Magic: La Morte Ti Fa Bella (Death Becomes You) at Lucca
Drento, Harry Potter at Vinarkia, La Storia Infinita at 3 locations:
San Bartolomeo, Punto and I Tre Merli.
Comedy: Zoolander at Old City, Blues Brother at Caffè Monica,
Austin Power at Shaker, Sister Act at Lo Skianto.
Animation: Il Piccolo Principe at Antica Drogheria, Shrek at Bar
& Pizzeria Mara Meo, Kung Fu Panda at Samurai Karate, Frozen
at Osteria S. Francesco, Three Musketeers at Ristorante Gli Orti.
Finally, the Official After Party, beginning at 1 am, will be an
all-night disco party at Caffè Delle Mura, with dancing until
dawn. But the town’s residents can sleep peacefully – this will be a
silent event where all the guests wear headphones! The idea
comes from the Silent Disco held at New York City's MoMA
(Museum of Modern Art) in December of 2012.
So put on your best hat or your favorite costume, come out for
the night and let your fantasies run free!
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www.luccaeffettocinema.it/notte - www.luccafilmfestival.it
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Tuscany’s GRAPEVINE Magazine April 2016