To commemorate one of Italy’s pioneering comedians on the 100th anniversary of his birth, CinemaItaliaUK is proud to present one Ugo Tognazzi’s most beloved performances: Il Vizietto (6:40pm), and a documentary about his life by his daughter: Portrait of a Father (4:30pm).
Under the aegis of the Consulate General of Italy in London, this event is included in the "Vivere all’Italiana" (Italian Way of Life) integrated promotion plan, launched by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Screening at The Garden Cinema on the 26th of November, this film is witty and a masterpiece of the “commedia all’italiana”.
The screening will be introduced by the film critic Lorenzo Tamburini.
Tognazzi represents, along with Mastroianni, Gassman and Sordi a pioneering star of the Golden Age of the Italian commedia, the genius behind the “supercazzola”, a staple of Italian humour as well as a clever critic of Italian society. Renowned for his satirical comments on the Italian bourgeoisie, his bold caricatures and daring comedic sketches, Tognazzi has been paid homage to countless times - worth mentioning two successful, insightful documentaries produced by Tognazzi’s children Maria Sole and Ricky Tognazzi: Ritratto di mio padre (2010) and La voglia matta di vivere (2022). In 2018, the MoMA, backed by Instituto Luce Cinecittà in Rome, curated a retrospective on the actor’s life centred around Bernardo Bertolucci’s “The Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man” - perhaps better described as Tognazzi’s most dramatic performance as it won him the Best Actor award at Cannes in 1981. Head to our social media channels to discover more on Tognazzi’s career and performances.
Join us at The Garden Cinema on the 26th of November to celebrate Tognazzi’s genius and sample some of Etna Coffe’s arancini.
Keep following our website and socials for more details on the event.
Il Vizietto/LA Cage aux folles (Édouard Molinaro, 1978): A pair of odd ageing queers, Renato and his transvestite boyfriend Albin, clumsily attempt to conceal their flamboyant lifestyle to Renato’s soon to be in-laws. A farce set in an eccentric nightclub in St. Tropez, it is a bold and fluid comedy. The film masks its subversive force behind a salute to traditional family values: almost visionary for its time, Il Vizietto is a satirical comment on normativity which granted Molinaro an Academy Award nomination.
Portrait of My Father (Maria Sole Tognazzi, 2010): The idea of a documentary on Ugo Tognazzi came from the desire to tell the life, the love, the passion, the successes and disappointments of the great actor and to reveal for the first time the hidden sides, the secrets and his less known works.
Ugo Tognazzi was a provocateur and a puzzling figure: he loved life and its pleasures, but also knew how to be tenacious, courageous and combative. He would always be himself, without excuses and embarrassment. His numerous interviews during his long career and those of his close ones are a testimony of this fascinating character.