The film glows with a richness of spirit that is very satisfying and humorous and uplifting. Apparently pranzo di ferragosto or feast of assumption is that holiday in. Gianni and his mother agree to do it, and the administrator brings his mom and his aunt. Mar 16, 2010 film the fatally slight midaugust lunch by ella taylor. Then, giannis doctor pays a call and asks the same favor. Pranzo di ferragosto aka midaugust lunch was written and directed by gianni. A tasty tidbit of a film, midaugust lunch is one of those movies where almost nothing happens but it happens quite nicely. Sep 05, 2008 mid august lunch dishes up slice of life humor with simple, authentic italian flavors like those in the perch with potatoes, oregano and rosemary lovingly served at the holiday feast. Gianni is a middleaged man, the only son of his widowed mother with whom he lives in an old house in central rome. Watching this lauded but fatally slight comedy of manners about a middleaged italian who finds himself caring for.
Dvd special features stunning highdefinition transfer. The charming, foodfilled directorial debut of gomorrah screenwriter gianni di gregorio who also stars, mid august lunch follows broke, aimless, middleaged gianni, forced to look after a quartet of elderly women for a. Its nearing august 15th as midaugust lunch opens, and rome is all but empty in anticipation of the ferragosto holiday, a chance at one last, long, lazy celebration before summers end. Midaugust lunch pranzo di ferragosto, italy 2008 the. Pranzo di ferragosto mid august lunch g, 1 hr 15 min. Midaugust lunch is available on dvd from zeitgeist films beginning. Midaugust lunch mix of farce and realism served in midaugust lunch. Midaugust lunch cleveland international film festival. Winner of prizes at international festivals including best first film at venice and the satyajit ray award at london, plus the golden snail at the academy of food and film in bologna, midaugust lunch is both warmly vibrant family drama and delicately balanced comedy of manners. Charming and unpretentious, midaugust lunch is a delicately balanced, warmhearted and humorous saga starring and directed by gianni di gregorio. Mar 17, 2010 the ladies who lunch in gianni di gregorios luminous sliver of a film, midaugust lunch, are roman women in their 80s and beyond who have gathered in a small condominium in the trastevere. Since everyone loves italian food, this facet of the film is a highlight. Steven erickson on midaugust lunch artforum international.
Gianni, in his 50s, lives with his elderly mother and has money worries. Midaugust lunchs moreorless 24hour cycle takes place around the ferragosto holiday on aug. The fatally slight midaugust lunch the village voice. It was produced by italian writerdirector matteo garrone whose 2008 film gomorrah was cowritten by di gregorio. Gianni played by director gianni digregorio is the caregiver for his elderly mamma, and they have nowhere to go on holiday. Film the fatally slight midaugust lunch by ella taylor. All of which allows midaugust lunch to be delightful, pleasant, and wholesome, even if its rarely exceptional. Midaugust lunch gianni di gregorios debut film, in which he plays his mothers cashstrapped carer, is a delightful and witty homage to older people, says philip french philip french. As an oriental saying goes, moments of crisis are moments of opportunities. Little of dramatic note actually happens, but the naturalistic performances are so persuasive and the humour so gentle that the film exerts considerably charm from start to finish watch midaugust lunch online bfi player. Although ive been thinking and writing a lot about food and film recently, this post is long overdue. A middleaged man has sacrificed living a full independent life to care for the mother he is devoted to. Jun 04, 2010 that is not quite the disparagement it sounds like.
Gianni di gregorio, one of the screenwriters of the brutal italian crime epic gomorrah, shows his gentler side as writerdirectorstar of this charming, understated comedy. I remembered this film, or possibly its successor the salt of life 2011, when i was given a dvd of it by a friend who often finds interesting dvds in london charity shops. Garrone, who produced the film, has been one of the few recent signs of life in italian cinema, but after midaugust lunch, one can add di gregorio to the brief list of promising italian directors. Thoughtful, warmhearted, and delightfully free of pretense, mid august lunch offers viewers a light diversion with some surprising depth. Pranzo di ferragosto midaugust lunch critics consensus. Aug, 2009 midaugust lunch is a film of rare benevolence that treats its subjects with dignity and playfulness. The morning before the midaugust pranzo di ferragosto feast of the assumption, when most romans flee the hot city, the building manager tells gianni that some of the apartment owners plan to sue him. Its almost impossible to think of an equivalent from this country or the us the. Mar 26, 2010 midaugust lunch mix of farce and realism served in midaugust lunch. Venice film festival, settimana della critica midaugust lunch by gianni di gregorio a former ad of matteo garrones and coscreenwriter of gomorrah, among others films is a gem whose. Midaugust lunch 2009, directed by gianni di gregorio film. It is a charming film and, although at the beginning it seems like a nightmare scenario, at the end you are left wanting more and sad that it has come to an end after only 75 minutes.
Gianni is a middleaged man living in rome with his imposing and demanding elderly mother. Thoughtful, warmhearted, and delightfully free of pretense, midaugust lunch offers viewers a light diversion with some surprising depth. Click here to read our interview with the director of midaugust lunch its no secret that many italian men stay at home with mamma until they get married, or. Midaugust lunch originally released as pranzo di ferragosto is a 2008 italian comedydrama and the directorial debut of italian actor and screenwriter gianni di gregorio. Apr 09, 2010 enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing midaugust lunch near you.
Mar 24, 2020 midaugust lunch pranzo di ferragosto, italy 2008 giannis day begins at his local shop with a small glass of white wine. Middleaged and impecunious gianni lives with his aged mother in her large rome apartment. The ladies who lunch in gianni di gregorio s luminous sliver of a film, midaugust lunch, are roman women in their 80s and beyond who have gathered in a small condominium in the trastevere neighborhood. If one possible future for how well watch films involves everyone sitting at home in front of giant televisions, another has to take into account places like the enzian theater in maitland, fl, base of the florida film festival. Living under the tyranny of this impoverished aristocrat, his life drags on between housework and trips to the local bar. Rent midaugust lunch 2008 on dvd and bluray netflix. External links modified january 2018 hello fellow wikipedians, i have just modified 2 external links on midaugust lunch. Midaugust lunch is a charming film about four very elderly ladies, their love for life, and their passion for eating. Midaugust lunch 2008 gianni di gregorio, gianni di. Despite the fact he is a middleaged man, gianni lives in an old house in the centre of rome with his mother, a. The russian novelist tolstoy suggested that if you want to speak to the world, then write about your village, and this advice has been heeded by the fiftysomething gianni di gregorio in his directorial debut midaugust lunch. On the eve of the midsummer italian holiday of ferragosto, gianni is approached by building manager luigi alfonso santagata and blackmailed into looking. It currently is being distributed in the us by zeitgeist films. Giannithe hero of midaugust lunch, played by its writerdirector, gianni di gregorio, who cowrote the decidedly different gangster epic gomorrahisnt doing much celebrating this year, kept in.
A tasty tidbit of a film, midaugust lunch is one of those movies where almost. With no pretenses, the movie lands you right in the middle of rome, in the middle of august, when the whole city and the rest of italy is going on holiday. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing midaugust lunch near you. Midaugust lunch is a film of rare benevolence that treats its subjects with dignity and playfulness. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple faq for additional information. Apr 06, 2010 midaugust lunch is a charming film about four very elderly ladies, their love for life, and their passion for eating. Directed by gianni di gregorio, cowriter of gomorra, and produced by gomorra director matteo garrone, mid august lunch is a comedy of elderly manners. The charismatic gianni di gregorio coscenarist of the smash hit gomorrah, stars in his directorial debutan utterly charming tale of good food, feisty lad. His only outlet from her and the increasing debt into which they are sinking, are the increasingly frequent quiet sessions at the local tavern. Mid august lunch s moreorless 24hour cycle takes place around the ferragosto holiday on aug. Gianni di gregorios film studies the glow of old age the. The ladies who lunch in gianni di gregorios luminous sliver of a film, midaugust lunch, are roman women in their 80s and beyond who have gathered in. I remembered this film, or possibly its successor the salt of life 2011, when i was given a dvd of it by a friend who often.
Mid august lunch is a comedy of frustrations, told in a deadpan manner. Midaugust lunch dishes up slice of life humor with simple, authentic italian flavors like those in the perch with potatoes, oregano and rosemary lovingly served at the holiday feast. Mid august lunch originally released as pranzo di ferragosto is a 2008 italian comedydrama and the directorial debut of italian actor and screenwriter gianni di gregorio. Gradually the barriers break down, everyone mellows and everything comes together at the end over the mid august lunch. Best first film at venice and the satyajit ray award at london, plus the golden snail at the academy of food and film in bologna, midaugust lunch is both. All of which allows mid august lunch to be delightful, pleasant, and wholesome, even if its rarely exceptional. Midaugust lunch is a dignified, charming film that speaks of italians dedication to family and food. External links modified january 2018 hello fellow wikipedians, i have just modified 2 external links on mid august lunch. That is not quite the disparagement it sounds like. Broke, and armed with only a glass of wine and a wry sense of humor, middleaged gianni resides with his 93yearold mother in their ancient apartment. Gianni di gregorios luminous sliver of a film, midaugust lunch, is a chekhovian vignette about the joys and regrets of old age and the. Di gregorio, an unemployed 50something bachelor, and his 93yearold mother, valeria. Set in the rome district of trastevere during a sweltering august holiday weekend, and featuring a mainly nonprofessional cast, its principal setting is the.
A middleaged man living with his elderly mother finds the best way to pay for their debts is to take care of the building managers mother during the biggest festival of the year. Directed by gianni di gregorio gianni is a middleaged man, the only son of his widowed mother, with whom he lives in an old house in central. After seeing midaugust lunch, i was curious as to what holiday was being celebrated in the movie. It is very small in scale but utterly charming because of that. Gianni di gregorios debut film, in which he plays his mothers cashstrapped carer, is a delightful and witty homage to older. It would do no good to spoil the tiny surprises in this 75minute film. The older women have many discussions about recipes as much red wine is drunk. Soon he finds himself with not two but four mothers to. Midaugust lunch pranzo di ferragosto, italy 2008 giannis day begins at his local shop with a small glass of white wine. Midaugust lunch is a 2008 italian comedydrama and the directorial debut of italian actor and screenwriter gianni di gregorio. Winner of numerous prizes at international festivals, including best first film at venice and the satyajit ray award at london, plus the golden snail at the academy of food and film in bologna, midaugust lunch is both warmly vibrant family drama and delicately balanced comedy of manners. And as were well into summer and approaching the middle of august, i couldnt resist the urge to write a little about pranzo di ferragostomidaugust lunch 2008, which i watched for. This movie illustrated of love of life through a love of good food. The charming, foodfilled directorial debut of gomorrah screenwriter gianni di gregorio who also stars, midaugust lunch follows broke, aimless, middleaged gianni, forced to look after a.
Pranzo di ferragosto midaugust lunch 2009 rotten tomatoes. Midaugust lunch san francisco international film festival. Feb 03, 2010 the charismatic gianni di gregorio coscenarist of the smash hit gomorrah, stars in his directorial debutan utterly charming tale of good food, feisty lad. Pranzo di ferragosto mid august lunch critics consensus. But when at last its time to say goodbye, the women have other ideas. Its the hot ferragosto bank holiday, when all italy heads for cooler parts. Directed by gianni di gregorio, cowriter of gomorra, and produced by gomorra director matteo garrone, midaugust lunch is a comedy of elderly manners. Midaugust lunch is a comedy of frustrations, told in a deadpan manner. On the eve of the mid summer italian holiday of ferragosto, gianni is approached by building manager luigi alfonso santagata and blackmailed into looking. These appear during the celebration of the holiday of ferragosto on 15 august. Its nearing august 15th as midaugust lunch opens, and rome is all but empty in anticipation of the ferragosto holiday, a chance at one last.
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