“The Mondine choir blows Torino Film Festival away”. You’re telling me, buddy. I was close to tears, again.

So, we have a date for the European première of Mondine – From mother to daughter, the documentary movie starring Fiamma Fumana and the Mondine di Novi Choir (I already wrote about the world première in Toronto). We’ll be guests of Torino Film Festival; the show is scheduled for November 26th at 4.00 pm at Theater 1 of Cinema Massimo, in Via Verdi 18. We’ll be there. Mondine will be there. The director and producer will be there. Will you?

Andrea Zambelli, director of Mondine – From mother to daughter, is in Toronto for the film’s world première. I just got this email from producer Davide Ferrario. I translated and copied it below, I am too overwhelmed to add anything.

Zambe tells me that the first show was sold out (300 people). No one left. We had two applauses during the movie, and tears and enthusiasm at the end.
“I didn’t expect such an emotional reaction”, said the director…
A long debate with many questions followed. To be fair, half the audience consisted of Italian Canadians, but their heritage was not necessarily the only reason for them to like it.
Filmitalia people were also deeply moved, they send many congratulations. All in all, we all deserve them. Tonight second show for the general public. Tomorrow I’ll speak with Andrea again.

Davide

Foto: Alberto D’Ottavi

Two reasons to smile as you go back to work (me, I never stopped working this summer). The first: the official confirmation that “Mondine – From mother to daughter”, the film produced by Davide Ferrario on a concept by Jessica and me, will be premiéred at Toronto International Film Festival, the only Italian documentary to make it this year. The news is going around cinema and information websites (La Stampa, for example) . Davide tells me Toronto is one of the “big four” film festivals worldwide (the others being Venice, Cannes and Berlin), so this film’s rollout is as good as it gets.

The second: pick up the new Transglobal Underground album – a band I really admire, and people I feel close to – and find to tracks played, respectively, by myself (“Elena”, on the accordion) and Jessica (“Spice garden”, on the flute). Nice…