The sympathetically drawn, unthreatening gay characters here are practically an advertisement for this hot political topic. Abroad, the film’s biggest selling point, as with “Steam: The Turkish Bath” and “Ignorant Fairies,” is its relaxed, modern approach to gay characters and lifestyle, unusual for an Italian film. The mix of straight and gay stories, though, should broaden its appeal to a slightly wider niche.

Outgoing, gorgeous 30-year-old Lorenzo (Luca Argentero) is the live-in partner of successful author Davide (Pierfrancesco Favino). They happily spend their time with a circle of intimates: Antonio (Stefano Accorsi) and Angelica (Margherita Buy), a married couple with kids; sunny cokehead Roberta (Ambra Angiolini); Davide’s acerbic ex Sergio (Ennio Fantastichini) and equally biting friend Neval (Serra Yilmaz) and her policeman husband (Filippo Timi); and newcomer Paolo (Michelangelo Tommaso).
First part of the film struggles to bring these ill-matched friends into focus, making much ado about their ferocious loyalty to each other. But there is little storyline on which to hang the characters’ quirks, until Lorenzo is rushed to the hospital one night with a cerebral hemorrhage, leading to a warm and fuzzy, but quite moving, group mourning scene, played against the odd counterpoint of dance music.

Brought together by the emergency, the group becomes more interesting to watch and size up. The cloudless relationship between Lorenzo and Davide, forcibly interrupted by illness, stands in sharp contrast to the stormy breakup of Antonio and Angelica, when the former guilelessly confesses he is having an affair with another woman (Isabella Ferrari.)
The sudden appearance of Lorenzo’s estranged father (Luigi Diberti) adds another, more traditional perspective as he belatedly attempts to come to terms with his son’s homosexuality. One of the best-written and -acted characters is his second wife Minnie (Lunetta Savino), a lighthearted provincial woman of blunt words.

Ozpetek shows a confident, light touch in directing the large cast, so neatly balanced that no one really stands out. Stars Favino, Accorsi and Buy are able players unable to soar in rather abstract roles. Other characters, like Yilmaz’s Turkish friend and Milena Vukotic’s head nurse, are pleasant enough to watch but undeveloped.Tech work goes for a clean, somewhat bland look, underlined by Massimiliano Nocente’s elegantly appointed Italian interiors where nothing is out of place, children’s rooms included. In marked contrast to Gianfilippo Corticelli’s classy and at times highly expressive lensing, the soundtrack by Giovanni Pellini (aka Neffa) takes a positively kinky approach to the drama, with a heavy emphasis on lively Spanish and French-sounding tunes.

(Variety)

704MB | 01:46:08 | 640×272 | avi

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Language:Italian
Subtitles:English

The post Ferzan Ozpetek – Saturno contro AKA Saturn in Opposition (2007) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

Elena and Antonio are not made for each other: they are too different, in terms of character, life choices, worldview and the way they relate to others. They are total opposites. However they are overwhelmed by a mutual attraction that they should avoid. Not only because they are not compatible, but also because Elena is engaged to Giorgio, and Antonio is engaged to Silvia, who is Elena’s best friend. Plus Fabio, the young Elena’s best friend, hates Antonio because he is openly homophobic. Initially, between Elena and Antonio, there is physical attraction and this is the first real turbulence in Elena’s life. Everyone will have to deal with the unexpected in a sudden storm of passion that changes all the rules of the game of their relationships. However this will not be the only turbulence in Elena’s life…

1.46GB | 1h 46mn | 720×304 | avi

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Language(s):Italian
Subtitles:English Italian

The post Ferzan Ozpetek – Allacciate le cinture (2014) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

Written by Boyd van Hoeij
Thursday, 20 April 2006

Nothing less than a double suicide from a dazzling height initiates the fifth and by far best film of Italo-Turkish director Ferzan Ozpetek. With an equally dazzling central performance by another foreigner settled in Italy, Slovakian actress Barbora Bobulova, Cuore sacro (Sacred Heart) could very well win Ozpetek new fans at home and abroad as he forsakes his overly sentimental style for something both more subtle and more resonant.

Co-written and directed by Ozpetek, Cuore sacro is an exploration of goodness and religion and how they interact (and more often than not fail to interact) in Italian society in particular and the world at large. Unlike the director’s previous efforts (such as much laurelled La finestra di fronte/Facing window) there are no homosexual or otherwise marginalised or penniless protagonists; in Cuore sacro it is in fact fundamental that the main character is rich, at least at the start of the story.

Businesswoman Irene (Bobulova) has just won the Entrepreneur of the Year Award when she meets a small and apparently innocent girl called Benny, who soon reveals herself to be a small time crook. Irene’s motherly instincts are awakened by both the girl and a visit to her late parents’ former palazzo, but as she tries to teach Benny about right and wrong, a grave accident quickly turns the tables and instead it is Irene who will be re-examining the issues she thought she was so fit to teach.

The story seems perfect fodder for an Italian melodrama of epic proportions but Ozpetek — guilty of exactly that in his previous effort — here opts for a more restrained approach that pays off double. His actors tap not only into the humanity of their characters but especially their groundedness, something which is very much needed to make the later, more ethereal sections fly. Bobulova is credible all the way through, from cold, blue-eyed businesswoman to her drastic transformation later on in the film, whilst the little Camille Dugay Comencini almost gives Bobulova a run for her money; despite her age she is able to imbue Benny with the necessary edge that easily makes her overcome what could have been the stereotypical “child as angelic vessel of goodness” role.

Gianfilippo Corticelli’s crystal clear cinematography (reminiscent of his work on Sergio Castellito’s recent Non ti muovere/Don’t move) further helps to set Cuore sacro aside from its Italian made-for-TV colleagues and is at times positively Shyamalanian in the tension it knows to generate from seemingly nothing. Except for the synthesiser-driven musical score (essentially a copy-and-paste job from La finestra di fronte), all technical contributions are excellent.

Cuore sacro is a stunner in many ways, firstly because it shows us a whole new level of subtlety in the universe of Ozpetek and co-writer and producer Gianni Romoli and secondly because, despite its poster image that evokes the worst of Catholic kitsch and its horrible title, Cuore sacro has a complicated message at its heart but weaves its plot, characters and its arguments ever so elegantly into a satisfying whole.

+Commentary ( No English subtitles)

1.48GB | 1h 53mn | 714×430 | mkv

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Language(s):Italian
Subtitles:English,Italian

The post Ferzan Ozpetek – Cuore Sacro AKA Sacred Heart (2005) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

Quote:
When Antonia’s husband Massimo is killed in a car accident, she accidentally discovers that he has been having a same-sex affair with a produce wholesaler named Michele. Although she’s initially devastated by the news and hostile toward Michele, she soon develops a friendship with him and his and Massimo’s circle of gay, transgender, and straight friends, among whom are a Turkish immigrant, a playwright and a boutique owner. As she gets to know these people and become a part of their lives, the new relationships dramatically transform Antonia.

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Language(s):Italian, Turkish
Subtitles:Italian, English, French, German

The post Ferzan Ozpetek – Le fate ignoranti AKA His Secret Life (2001) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

The only dream of Pietro is to become a famous actor. 28 year-old Pietro is so obsessed with becoming an actor that he does not mind trying every single way. He comes Rome and starts to work in a bakery. Also, at the same time, he tries to be an actor. At first, he stays with his cousin, Maria , but then he rents a house. Nevertheless, in a short time, something weird happens at the house. As if the furniture moves by itself. Then he realizes that the house was haunted by some ghosts, so with it, the adventure itself begins.

2.19GB | 1h 46m | 1280×546 | mkv

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Language:Italian
Subtitles:English,Italian

The post Ferzan Ozpetek – Magnifica presenza AKA Magnificent Presence (2012) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

Plot Synopsis by Gönül Dönmez-Colin
Following the success of Hamam, Turkey-born, Italy-based Ferzan Ozpetek delivers another exotic film that delves into the traditions of his origin. Once again, the exotic city of Istanbul is the place of intrigue. But, unlike Hamam, which was a contemporary story, Harem Suare takes place at the turn of the century in the last days of the Ottoman Empire. The locale of this ornate story of love, power, and fear is the magnificent Yildiz Palace, where Sultan Abdulhamit whiles away the time listening to the finale of La Traviata as rebellions rage all over the country. The Sultan cannot stand unhappy endings, so he has asked Safiye, his favorite concubine, who is Italian, to rewrite the libretto so that Violetta does not die. Nadir, one of the black eunuchs, has plans for Safiye, whom he thinks should become the official wife. Nadir’s plans take a different turn when he and Safiye fall in love. In the harem, which is isolated from the rest of the world, life goes on with its plots and subplots, loyalties and betrayals, happiness and tragedies as if time did not exist. The story is told from the point of view of Safiye, concentrating more on human relations than on palace politics. The director plays with mirror images to reflect the two faces of personalities and the complexities of intercultural relations. Mythology is blended with sexuality, emphasizing the delicate nuances of language. The exotic element is not abused and historical details are used sparingly and only when necessary. Acting by young French actress Marie Gillain, who plays Safiye, and Lucia Bose, who plays her in old age, as well as Alex Descas as the eunuch Nadir and famous Turkish actor Haluk Bilginer as Sultan Abdulhamid are all commendable. 52nd Cannes Film Festival, 1999.

1.85GB | 1h 48mn | 700×550 | mkv

https://nitro.download/view/37A15124078F95A/Harem.Suare.1999.DVDRip.x264-KG.mkv
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Language(s):Turkish,French,Italian
Subtitles:English,French,Italian

The post Ferzan Ozpetek – Harem suaré (1999) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

If postmodern marriage is between equals, Francesco (Alessandro Gassman) and Marta (Francesca d’Aloja) have been computer selected. He is slim, tall, charmless, cold. She is slim, tall, charmless, cold. He is irritable and insensitive to other people’s feelings. She is angry and sensitive to her own feelings. They bicker and fight and work for a design company (their own) in Rome. They fit neatly into the high-stress, workaholic, image-conscious lifestyle, in which eating and talking and loving is snatched between phone calls and client consultations.

His aunt dies in Istanbul, leaving him a substantial property. He goes over to arrange the sale, staying with the family who have always looked after the old lady. Despite inevitable frustrations, he begins to relax and allow the character of the city to work its magic. Against the advice of a sleazy lawyer, he decides to stay and do up the Turkish bath in the basement, thwarting the ambitions of a powerful developer.

Ferzan Ozpetek could be accused of working for the tourist board. Of course, he doesn’t, but his film is a redemption story – uptight Italian yuppie meets warm, generous, affectionate Turkish people and discovers… himself? The girls love him, and some of the boys. When Marta comes to visit, she finds a different husband. Trouble is, she hasn’t changed.

Ozpetek is a sensitive director. He takes his time. He doesn’t rush. He allows the natural rhythms to settle and pays particular attention to food. He is soft and sensual with his camera. And slow. For all its qualities in the acting and with the photography, the pace of the film requires a degree of commitment that may put too great a strain on patience.

Reviewed By: Angus Wolfe Murray

Steam.The.Turkish.Bath.1997.1080p.MUBI.WEB-DL.AAC.2.0.H.264-KUCHU.mkv

General
Container:  	Matroska
Runtime: 	1 h 34 min
Size: 	3.42 GiB
Video
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Resolution: 	1920x1036 
Aspect ratio:  	1.85:1
Frame rate: 	25.000 fps
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Audio
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Language(s):Turkish
Subtitles:English, German, Italian

The post Ferzan Ozpetek – Hamam AKA Steam: The Turkish Bath (1997) first appeared on Cinema of the World.