June 17 to 30, 2006
07:00 pm

VITTORIO DE SETA IN NEW YORK

Italian Cultural Institute of New York
686 Park Avenue
10065 New York, NY
United States

Vittorio De Seta was born into a noble Calabrian family in Palermo, Sicily, in 1923. The director soon moved to Rome, where he continues to reside, and studied film in the 1940s, breaking away from the official cinema in the 1950s with a series of acclaimed documentaries made in Sicily, Sardinia, and Calabria. Characterized by beautiful color, keen observation, and ambient soundtracks without narration, these works depict the customs of rural Italian laborers and families. De Seta went on to make formally unconventional dramatic films that reflect a strong social commitment. Two highlights of the exhibition are Bandits of Orgosolo (1961), De Seta’s award-winning first feature-length film, and the U.S. premiere of Diary of a School Teacher (1973). All films directed by Vittorio De Seta and in Italian, with English subtitles. Organized by Sally Berger, Assistant Curator, Department of Film and Media, in collaboration with The Flaherty Seminars and the Italian Cultural Institute, New York.June 17–24, 2006 The Robert Flaherty Film Seminar “Creative Demolition,” the 52nd Flaherty Seminar, uncovers how media molds culture and how culture returns the favor. Programmers Ariella Ben-Dov and Steve Seid present an audacious mix of documentary, fiction, animation, live performance, and hybrids. There will be a special retrospective of works by Vittorio De Seta. Other guests include Zoe Beloff, Jacqueline Goss, Sharon Lockhart, and Filip Remunda. International Film Seminars The Flaherty - 6 East 39th Street New York City, NY 10016 For more information visit www.flahertyseminar.org June 24 - 30, 2006Vittorio De Seta: A Retrospective Ten documentary shorts shot in Sicily, Sardinia, and Calabria, Italy (Saturday, June 24, 5:00 pm (presented by De Seta); Wednesday, June 28, 8:00 pm) and four documentary features: Banditi a Orgosolo (Bandits of Orgosolo), Un uomo a metà (Half a Man), Diario di un maestro (Diary of a Schoolteacher), In Calabria. MoMA - 11 West 53 St., New York, NY 10019 For tickets and more information visit www.moma.org Monday, June 26 2006, 6:30 – 8:30 pm Reception in honor of Vittorio De Seta Italian Cultural Institute, 686 Park Avenue @ 68th Street, NYC