by FilmInk Staff
ESPRESSO CINEMA RETURNS WITH A HIT OF ITALIAN CINEMA THIS WINTER!
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERES – ONE-OFF SCREENINGS
Curated by ABCG Film, Espresso Cinema is an exclusive series of fresh, new and acclaimed Italian films, from the Venice Film Festival and beyond, providing a hit of Italian Cinema across Australia this winter.
With an Australian Premiere screening each month (June – August), this Sunday evening event series returns to Melbourne (Cinema Nova), and is set to screen for the first time in Brisbane (New Farm Cinemas) and Perth (Luna Palace Cinemas).
The season starts with an Opening Night event on June 29, with a screening of Paola Randi’s vibrant comedy from the Venice Film Festival, The Story of Frank and Nina, with a complimentary Campari & Soda on arrival.
From the earthy truffles of Piedmont, to the thrilling discovery of a lost Caravaggio, don’t miss the chance to immerse yourself in the cinematic warmth of these one-off winter screenings!
Espresso Cinema creator and curator Alicia Brescianini said “Espresso Cinema’s Melbourne premieres of Shooting the Mafia and Orecchie (Ears) back in 2019 were incredible cinematic events – a rare opportunity to see Italian gems that would otherwise not be available to local audiences.
We are thrilled to be back in 2025, with an Espresso to go as we bring the next programme of films to Brisbane and Perth at the same time as Melbourne. These three joyous celebrations of Italian culture are, like their subjects, undiscovered treasures – a prizewinning Truffle, a lost Caravaggio and the vibrant dreams of Milan’s next generation in Venice Film Festival winner The Story of Frank and Nina.’
The programme:
JUNE 29 – The Story of Frank and Nina
Winner of the Magic Lantern award at the Venice Film Festival, this vibrant and dynamic comedy following three young people in contemporary Milan. Starring Ludovica Nasti from the hit series My Brilliant Friend and directed by Paola Randi, the film’s stylish use of colour conveys the hope, joy and energy of the trio. A heartwarming, colourful and cinematic ode to director Paola Randi’s home city featuring breakthrough, tour-de-force performances that herald a bright future for Italian cinema.
‘had me giddy with exhilaration’ The Contending
‘a Jeunet-level whimsical adventure’ The Moveable Feast
‘surprisingly sweet…and surprisingly poignant… a delicately delivered central message about the power of words’ Loud and Clear
JULY 20 – Trifole (Truffles)
A visually stunning modern fable set in the Alba white truffle region of Italy, where Londoner Dalia returns to care for her aging grandfather Igor, an expert truffle forager. Armed with his loyal dog Birba, she hunts for a prizewinning truffle to save his home.
Elegant and cinematic, Trifole (Truffles) delves deep into the beauty and culture of this incredible place, connecting people to the earth, and to each other.
Trifole stars the now 90-year-old and Piedmont local Umberto Orsini (La Dolce Vita, Visconti’s The Damned & Ludwig), talented newcomer and the film’s writer Ydalie Turk, one of the leading Italian actresses of our time, Margherita Buy, and the scene stealing Birba the dog.
AUGUST 31 – The Sleeper: The Lost Caravaggio
When an 80-year-old-woman from Madrid takes an old painting from her living room to an auction house in 2021, the expert appraises it at around €1,500. Suddenly, someone sounds the alarm. Could this be a lost work by the great Italian Baroque painter Caravaggio?
What follows is a real-life thriller, filled with unexpected twists and high-stakes intrigue. The headlines go global. The family, dealers, galleries, experts, museums, investors are all protagonists, and time is of the essence…
More than 400 years after his death, Caravaggio once again brings the drama…
Presented by ABCG film, in conjunction with Cinema Nova and Luna Palace Cinemas, Espresso Cinema is proudly sponsored by Campari and supported by the Italian Business Women’s Network.
MELBOURNE: https://www.cinemanova.com.au/events/espresso-cinema
PERTH: https://lunapalace.com.au/festivals/espresso-cinema
BRISBANE: https://www.fivestarcinemas.com.au/new-farm/movie/the-story-of-frank-and-nina
