CinemaItaliaUK is delighted to announce that it will be launching its new streaming platform CinemaItaliaUK Player on 15 December, giving Italian cinema lovers across the country a chance to view Italian films from the comfort of home. The first slate of Italian films will feature 21 titles from the British independent label CultFilms (www.cultfilms.co.uk), with a view to expanding the range by adding films from other distributors throughout 2024. Genres on the platform currently range from Italian classics to gialli, spaghetti westerns, contemporary dramas, and documentaries, offering something for all audiences. Directors in the spotlight include Dario Argento, Michelangelo Antonioni, Federico Fellini, Ettore Scola, Vittorio De Sica, Marco Ferreri, Gillo Pontecorvo, Damiano Damiani, Sergio Corbucci, Enzo G. Castellari, Lucio Fulci, Michael Radford, Luca Guadagnino, and Luca Rea. CinemaItaliaUK is very happy to announce that there will be an exclusive limited time offer on this new streaming platform at a special promotional price. Full details of the line-up, including trailers, can be found at:
https://www.mymovies.it/ondemand/italiauk/preview.php?preview=si
Clara Caleo Green, Founder of CinemaItaliaUK says: “I am thrilled to present the new CinemaItaliaUK Player to our audiences. Its sleek, yet accessible and intuitive design, nicely complements the superb selection of classic and contemporary titles on offer. I am deeply grateful to CultFilms for partnering with us to access their wonderful film catalogue, and to MYmovies.it for providing us with state-of-the-art streaming technology to share it with you all. CinemaItaliaUK Player will take our work into the digital arena by honouring its mission of bringing the best of classic and contemporary Italian cinema to UK audiences. Last but not least, my thanks go out to the CinemaItaliaUK team – without their inexhaustible energy and drive, none of this could have been achieved. Buona visione!”
Since 2014 the UK registered charity CinemaItaliaUK, has been raising awareness of Italian culture by bringing a selection of the best of Italy’s cinematic offerings to the UK, giving both Italian contemporary and classic cinema a home here. Its dedicated team works hard to deliver a carefully curated offer of films that are screened at vibrant and distinctive London venues, including the Garden Cinema and Riverside Studios. The ever-popular screenings are followed by Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers, sparking insightful discussions, and encouraging a rich and meaningful exchange between cultures. Loyal and enthusiastic audiences relish the opportunity to catch Italian films on the big screen, as well as indulge in Italian conversation with fellow viewers, or filmmakers in attendance.
CinemaItaliaUK screenings usually take place monthly, and the most recent events include a special screening of the 1954 masterpiece La Strada, to pay tribute to Federico Fellini 30 years after his death; and a screening of Umberto Eco: A Library of the World (La Biblioteca del Mondo). The latter was followed by a Q&A with the director Davide Ferrario, who in this documentary immersion combines new footage with material he shot with Eco in 2015 for a video installation for the Venice Art Biennale. Furthermore, last year CinemaItaliaUK premiered Giuseppe Piccioni’s critically acclaimed prewar melodrama The Shadow of the Day (L’Ombra del Giorno), which was followed by a Q&A with the director and lead actor Riccardo Scamarcio. Looking ahead, CinemaItaliaUK is planning to run an Italian classics programme as a regular fixture on its calendar, and in doing so encourage a new generation of audiences to see these hugely influential treasures at London-based cinemas.
CultFilms is a British independent distributor known for its dedication to releasing art house classics and influential titles in the UK. It offers a carefully curated collection of films spanning from classic to contemporary cinema, on Blu-ray and online, streaming via its website, and on major platforms including Amazon, Apple, and BFI. From Fellini’s iconic masterpiece 8 and ½ to Michael Radford’s unforgettable Il Postino, CultFilms curates a catalogue that goes beyond the mainstream, inviting audiences to rediscover the best of classic and contemporary cinema. CultFilms caters to the diverse taste of dedicated cinephiles, whether it be through rediscovering the haunting beauty of Dario Argento’s Suspiria, exploring subtle comedy Italian style with Ettore Scola’s intimate masterpiece A Special Day (Una Giornata Particolare), or witnessing Liliana Cavani’s controversial and chilling The Night Porter (Il Portiere Di Notte). Meticulously re-mastered and presented in high definition, the label’s releases breathe new life into iconic masterpieces and well-loved film classics. With each release, audiences are presented with insightful bonus features, interviews and exclusive content that ensure a more involving experience and appreciation of the films.
THE LINK FOR THE CINEMAITALIAUK PLAYER WILL GO LIVE ON 15/12/23:
https://www.cinemaitaliauk.co.uk/cinemaitaliauk-player
FOR PRESS INFORMATION, INCLUDING FILM SCREENING LINK REQUESTS, PLEASE CONTACT:
Clare Leach: clare.leach@gmail.com / +44 (0) 7779 020 480
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CINEMAITALIAUK AND ITS ACTIVITIES, PLEASE GO TO:
https://www.cinemaitaliauk.co.uk
FOLLOW CINEMAITALIAUK ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
https://www.facebook.com/CinemaItaliaUK
https://twitter.com/CinemaItaliaUK
https://www.instagram.com/cinemaitaliauk
VENUES:
The Garden Cinema, https://www.thegardencinema.co.uk/ (39 – 41 Parker Street, London, WC2B 5PQ)
Riverside Studios, https://riversidestudios.co.uk/ (101 Queen Caroline Street, London, W6 9BN)
Katya Marletta
Creativity Talk from London
