19 June 2020

No Il Cinema Ritrovato this Summer!

Normally, tonight Il Cinema Ritrovato in Bologna would have started. But the XXXIV edition of our favourite film festival is postponed to 25 till 31 August. So this post only gives a glimpse of what we do hope to see in Bologna in August.

Henny Porten and Emil Jannings in Kohlhiesels Töchter (1920)
German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 630/6. Photo: Messter Film, Berlin. Henny Porten and Emil Jannings in Kohlhiesels Töchter/Kohlhiesel's Daughters (Ernst Lubitsch, 1920).

100 years ago is a returning programme in Bologna. Two of our favourite films from 100 years ago are Ernst Lubitsch's classic comedy Kohlhiesels Töchter/Kohlhiesel's Daughters (1920), and Victor Sjöström's Klostret i Sendomir/The Monastery of Sendomir (1920).

Tora Teje and Richard Lund in Klostret i Sendomir (1920)
Swedish postcard by Förlag Nordisk Konst, Stockholm, no. 1092/6. Photo: Tora Teje and Richard Lund in Klostret i Sendomir/The Monastery of Sendomir (Victor Sjöström, 1920).

Henry Fonda
Henry Fonda. Italian postcard by Bromofoto, Milano, no. 1165. Photo: Warner Bros.

During a particularly turbulent time in the world – and only months to go before the US presidential election – Henry Fonda for President is a section which not only features the star of this edition but also provides an opportunity to catch some absolute classics of the canon.

Henry Fonda
Henry Fonda. Italian postcard by B.F.F. Edit., no. 2255. Photo: RKO Radio.

Boeddha, de roeping van een koningszoon
German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 36/2. Photo: Emelka Konzern. Himansu Rai in Prem Sanyas or Die Leuchte Asiens/The Light of Asia (Franz Osten, Himansu Rai, 1925).

Cinema Ritovato's Asian adventures continue with works from Japan and India, two of the richest national cinemas. For this post', we chose two postcards of the classic Indian film Prem Sanyas (Franz Osten, Himansu Rai, 1925).

Seeta Devi and Himansu Rai in Prem Sanyas (or Die Leuchte Asiens, 1925).
German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 36/8. Photo: Emelka Konzern. Seeta Devi and Himansu Rai in Prem Sanyas or Die Leuchte Asiens/The Light of Asia (Franz Osten, Himansu Rai, 1925).

Fregoli
Leopoldo FregoliItalian postcard, no. 196. Photo C. A. Pini, Bologna.

Like every year, there is a programme about the cinema x years after the birth of cinema: this edition focusses on the year 1900. For us, it's the year of Leopoldo Fregoli (1867-1936). He started to show short films, named 'Fregoligraph', as part of his stage act. They were recordings of his wonderful transformation acts.

Fregoli in Eldorado
Leopoldo FregoliItalian postcard by Garzini e Pezzini, Milano, 1903.

Veronica Lake in This Gun for Hire (1942)
French postcard by Editions P.I., Paris, no. 408, 1952. Photo: George Hurrell / Paramount. Veronica Lake in This Gun for Hire (Frank Tuttle, 1942).

Thrilling discoveries await us in programmes dedicated to Hollywood directors Frank Tuttle and Stuart Heisler. Tuttle is the director of the classic Film Noir This Gun for Hire (Frank Tuttle, 1942), with Hollywood's peek-a-boo girl Veronica Lake. Another Hollywood girl, 'Puerto Rican Pepperpot' Olga San Juan, had her breakthrough in Heisler's Technicolor musical Blue Skies (Stuart Heisler, 1946).

Olga San Juan in Blue Skies (1946)
Dutch postcard by Van Leer's Fotodrukindustrie N.V., Amsterdam. Photo: Paramount Pictures. Olga San Juan in Blue Skies (Stuart Heisler, 1946).

Charlie Chaplin in The Champion (1915)
British postcard by Red Letter. Photo: Essanay. Charlie Chaplin in The Champion/Champion Charlie (Charles Chaplin, 1915). Caption: Charlie and the Bulldog.

Finally, like every Il Cinema Ritrovato, there will be new restorations of films starring Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.

Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton. German cigarette card by Monopol Film-Bilder, no. 90.

See the Il Cinema Ritrovato Festival website.

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