Il mare [The Sea] (Giuseppe Patroni Griffi, 1962)
Feb
17
1962
The actor (Umberto Orsini) approaches a hotel lobby. A blackboard notes the date: February 17, 1962. DP: Ennio Guarnieri.
“My God. What am I doing in this place?”
Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie [The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie] (Luis Buñuel, 1972)
Feb
16
No One Eats Alone Day
The diners at a long table. DP: Edmond Richard.
People eat dinner together on No One Eats Alone Day*.
– Henri Sénéchal
The bourgeoisie meet for dinner in various settings, but never consume.
* this event takes place on the Friday of the second full week in February, which makes the 2025 date February 14.
Adieu Philippine [Farewell, Philippine] (Jacques Rozier, 1962)
Feb
11
friendship
Juliette and Liliane (Stefania Sabatini and Yveline Céry) walk along a promenade in a beautiful, vérité tracking shot. DP: René Mathelin.
A film about friendship for Jennifer Anniston's birthday (1969).
1960. Michel is due to leave for Algeria to serve in the Algerian War. Juliette and Liliane are best friends as inseparable as “Filipino almonds”(?). When they meet, the girls decide to join Michel on his final vacation, on Corsica.
“Buon giorno, donna Sofia! Dateme 'na pizza! Cominciamo la giornata di…”
L'oro di Napoli [The Gold of Naples] (Vittorio De Sica, 1954)
Feb
9
National Pizza Day
Sophia Loren as herself, handing out fresh pizza fritta at Cucina del Toro to promote L'oro di Napoli (part of this description comes from Pinterest; I have no guarantee it is correct). DP of the movie: Carlo Montuori.
Someone eats pizza on National Pizza Day (USA).
In the segment Pizze a credito (“Pizza on credit”), unfaithful pizza baker Sofia (Sophia Loren) loses her wedding band in the dough, then accidentally deep-fries it into a pizza fritta Napoletana.
– pizza customer
As you may know, Sophia Loren wrote several cookbooks in her life and of course, there's a recipe for pizza. This one is Pizza Alla Napoletana and it goes like this: recipe.
“I used to spend afternoons reading in bed. Tommaso would call and find me there. He could have kissed me. I wouldn't have resisted, out of boredom. But he was satisfied to watch me as I read. All those purposeless books.”
La notte [The Night] (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1961)
Feb
7
Falò delle vanità – 1497
Author Giovanni Pontano (Marcello Mastroianni) pondering next to a full bookcase. DP: Gianni Di Venanzo.
Books, or art, in commemoration of Savonarola's 1497 Florentine falò delle vanità (bonfire of the vanities).
– Lidia
A lavish #CocktailParty in celebration of the launch of a novel is bookended by tragedy, in the loss of a befriended writer and the unraveling of another writer and his wife's marriage.
L'udienza [The Audience] (Marco Ferreri, 1972)
Feb
2
Aiche (Claudia Cardinale) washing Principe Donati's (Vittorio Gassman) feet. DP: Mario Vulpiani.
“This future of yours Shelmerdine, when it's gonna begin? Today? Or, is it always tomorrow?”
Orlando (Sally Potter, 1992)
Jan
24
Billy Zane's birthday
Orlando (Tilda Swinton) and Shelmerdine (Billy Zane) in intimate embrace. DPs: Aleksey Rodionov & Andrew Speller.
A [favourite] Billy Zane film for his birthday (1966).
– Orlando
As ordered by Queen Elizabeth I (Quentin Crisp), nobleman Orlando remains young and traverses exotic scenery, civilisations, time, and gender.
“I no longer even recognize myself. What made me like the others has been destroyed. I was like everyone else, with many faults, perhaps, mine and those of the world around me. You made me different by taking me out of the natural order of things.”
Teorema [Theorem] (Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1968)
Dec
29
Independence Day of Mongolia
The visitor (Terence Stamp) in intimate closeup. DP: Giuseppe Ruzzolini.
Someone finds their independence: Independence Day of Mongolia (Үндэсний эрх чөлөө, тусгаар тогтнолоо сэргээсний баярын өдөр).
– Pietro, the son
Il mare [The Sea] (Giuseppe Patroni Griffi, 1962)
Dec
1
The actor (Umberto Orsini) and the boy (Dino Mele) in a restaurant. It's out of season and deserted. DP: Ennio Guarnieri.
“Whoever dies for the country hasn't lived in vain. I, on the contrary, will live for the country because I'm not that stupid.”
Touche pas à la femme blanche [Don't Touch the White Woman!] (Marco Ferreri, 1974)
Nov
23
potato chips
Two white Frenchmen – in a University of Columbia and a CIA sweatshirt respectively – comment on the “period piece” they're in. CIA man (Paolo Villaggio) stuffs his face with potato chips. DP: Étienne Becker.
– George A. Custer