Italian Film Festival

Press Release

Italian Film Festival in celebration of the
150th anniversary of the Unity of Italy


It’s been 150 years since eight states independent of one another, each with its own administration, laws and interests came together as one in the Italian nation.

It was on March 17 1861 that unification of Italy was proclaimed. Since then Italy has gone from strength to strength on many fronts – politically and economically – and become a founding member of the European Union.

The Embassy of Italy will be celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Unity of Italy with the launching of an Italian Film Festival from June 30 to July 4 at the Malaysian Tourism Centre (MaTiC) in Kuala Lumpur.

The five-day film festival presents a diverse collection of movies, beginning with Presa di Roma – The Capture of Rome and Arrivano i Bersaglieri – The Bersaglieri are coming, which record the historical events leading to the election of Rome as Italy’s capital. Then there is Ma Che Storia (What a Story) which traces the path of Italy in its 150 years of unity.

In between there are movies on love, passion and drama, all of them somehow related to Italy’s history such as Allonsanfan, starring Marcello Mastroianni as an old and tired revolutionary leader who now wants to live a quiet life in Italy after Napoleon’s defeat. La vera leggenda di Tony Vilar – The True Legend of Tony Vilar is about an aspiring singer who is in search of his idol, singing sensation Tony Vilar, who – like millions of Italians – left his country to look for a better life in the Americas. Seconda notte di nozze – Second Wedding Night depicts life in post-war Italy.

The opening night of the Festival will take place in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Hall in the MaTiC at 8.30pm on June 30, while the other movies will be shown at the Mini Auditorium of the MaTiC from July 1 to July 4, and at 8.30pm. Admission is free.