Luciano Tovoli

A portrait of the mythical Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni (1924-96), a unique performer who was one of the kings of European cinema.

A documentary which explores the life and the career of Michelangelo Antonioni, one of the greatest Italian directors, through archival footage and interviews.

Dario Argento is one of the most acclaimed Italian directors in the world, revered as if he were a rock star. At the same time, however, he is a person who has always protected his private life. This documentary breaks that taboo and delves into the most intimate aspects of his life and career, uncovering personal documents and photographs that, until now, had been jealously guarded.

In a hidden corner of Cinecittà there is a magical place that no one knows about and that was about to disappear. It is STUDIO EL founded in 1983 by Ettore Scola and Luciano Ricceri. A creative space, a sort of Renaissance workshop, a factory. A place where the two great friends prepared their great films in Cinecittà, but where they gave the opportunity to many young people to grow and improve their professionalism. After the passing of Ettore Scola and Luciano Ricceri, time at Studio E.L stopped along with many objects that are the memory of almost 40 years of history of our cinema. Before Studio EL closes forever, becoming a museum space inside Cinecittà, we would like to give the objects it contains the value they deserve and tell their stories.

Documentary about the shooting of 'Suspiria' that details everything that lovers of horror genre can desire, including the inspiration of the plot, the director, the cast, the style, the music and, of course, its worldwide success. Argento, Daria Nicolodi, Jessica Harper, Udo Kier, Stafania Casini, Giuseppe Colombo, Luciano Tovoli and several members of the progressive rock band Goblin (Claudio Simonetti, Fabio Pignatelli, Massino Marante) are interviewed to learn about their work in the film.

A man and his mistress have just taken off for a weekend romp when they're kidnapped by a trio of bank robbers. They wind up becoming media "stars" as police and reporters follow them. They all wind up at the beat-up shack of a cranky old codger, with the police surrounding them and the robbers threatening to kill everybody.

After the release of "Nostalgia", Andrei Tarkovsky runs out his Soviet authorities permission to work abroad: he has to go back home. But he understands from the messages of some friends and colleagues that his life in Russia would be even tougher than before. So he then decides to break with Soviet authorities and, a year before the Milan Conference of 1984 during which he will announce publicly his decision, he leaves his friends that are hosting him in Rome and takes refuge in a secret location.

Documentary on the films of Dario Argento from his debut "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage" up until "The Phantom of the Opera".

Fracchia is desperate: he has to sell a house with at least five bathrooms within three days or his boss will fire him. Incredibly, he and his pal Filini manage to find the perfect house, a castle in Transylvania owned by some count Vlad... things get even worse when they meet the Count and his sister, who has a crush on Fracchia and decides to marry him!

Mangin, a police inspector in Paris, leans hard on informants to get evidence on three Tunisian brothers who traffic in drugs. He arrests one, Simon, and his girl-friend Noria. Simon's brothers go to their lawyer. He springs Noria, who promptly steals 2 million francs that belong to the Tunisians. They suspect her of the theft; her life as well as the lawyer's is in danger. Meanwhile, Noria is playing with both the lawyer and Mangin's affections. Mangin is mercurial anyway: intimidating and bloodying suspects, falling for a police commission trainee before flipping for Noria, wearing his emotions on his sleeve. Can he save the lawyer and Noria, and can he convince her to love?

Jimmy Kilmartin's an ex-con who's trying to go straight. But he can't say no to a quick driving job because his so-called friend's life is threatened. The job is for Little Junior Brown, a violent and powerful villain. When things go wrong, Jimmy is left to do the time, and his whole life is turned upside-down, but if that wasn't enough, the cops won't leave Jimmy alone when he gets out... They want Little Junior Brown.

A man spreads the rumor of his fake homosexuality with the aid of his neighbor, to prevent his imminent firing at his work.

Tenacious homicide detective Cassie Mayweather and her still-green partner are working a murder case, attempting to profile two malevolently brilliant young men: cold, calculating killers whose dark secrets might explain their crimes.

A father and his son who lived seperated for some time meet each other one day and try to talk their problems over and understand their diametrical differences.

After hiding his loot and getting thrown in jail, brooding outlaw Ruby befriends Quentin, a dim-witted and garrulous giant. After Quentin botches a solo escape attempt, they make a break together. Unable to shake the clumsy Quentin, Ruby is forced to take him along as he pursues his former partners in crime to avenge the death of the woman he loved and get to the money.

Based on a book by Juan Carlo Onetti, the film tells the story of Ossario, a hunted revolutionary leader who sees his comrades die one after another.

An American newcomer to a prestigious German ballet academy comes to realize that the school is a front for something sinister amid a series of grisly murders.

Titus Andronicus returns from the wars and sees his sons and daughters taken from him, one by one. Shakespeare's goriest and earliest tragedy.

For Pierre Brochant and his friends, Wednesday is “Idiots' Day”. The idea is simple: each person has to bring along an idiot. The one who brings the most spectacular idiot wins the prize. Tonight, Brochant is ecstatic. He has found a gem. The ultimate idiot, “A world champion idiot!”. What Brochant doesn’t know is that Pignon is a real jinx, a past master in the art of bringing on catastrophes...

San Francisco police officer Frank Connor is in a frantic search for a compatible bone marrow donor for his gravely ill son. There's only one catch the potential donor is convicted multiple murderer Peter McCabe who sees a trip to the hospital as the perfect opportunity to get what he wants most: freedom. With McCabe's escape, the entire hospital becomes a battleground and Connor must pursue and, ironically, protect the deadly fugitive who is his son's only hope for survival.

Three Italians travel to their hometown to vote for elections: Pasquale is a Southern immigrant living in Munich who's genuinely happy to come back to Italy, even if just for a few days, but the country he dreams of is far from reality; Furio travels to Rome with his family, but his niggling attitude threatens to push his wife Magda over the edge; young Mimmo is also going to Rome, but the trip is repeatedly interrupted by worries about his grandma's health.

Having recently split from her fiancé, Allison Jones welcomes new roommate Hedra Carlson. The young women quickly form a bond, but soon Allison begins to notice not all’s well with her new tenant.

David Locke is a world-weary American journalist who has been sent to cover a conflict in northern Africa, but he makes little progress with the story. When he discovers the body of a stranger who looks similar to him, Locke assumes the dead man's identity. However, he soon finds out that the man was an arms dealer, leading Locke into dangerous situations. Aided by a beautiful woman, Locke attempts to avoid both the police and criminals out to get him.

Serafina, Pulcinella and Isabella are three lusty, beautiful members of a traveling theatrical troupe touring the French countryside in the 17th century, leaving in their wake a crop of broken hearts. This picaresque romantic comedy is based on the 1863 novel Le Capitaine Fracasse by Theophile Gauthier. In the story, the company stops at a castle owned by the scruffy young Baron de Sigognac, who is deeply smitten with the charms of the middle-aged (and somewhat morose) beauty Serafina. He decides to travel with the company, and Serafina perversely tries to get him to woo the youngest of the company, the newly bereaved Isabella.

Jean, a married 40-year-old filmmaker, and his young working class lover, Catherine, engage in a circular series of spectacular blow-ups and tentative reunions, their mutual desire a fire that burns them again and again.

Mario and Maria Boschi, a 30-year-old couple with small children, are hit by a crisis: husband and wife cannot agree on a party name. A colleague, also named Mario, makes an impressive speech, and Maria find herself increasingly attracted to him. She feels able to relate to him like she could to her husband in the old days. They spend the night together, and she falls ill. When she is asked by her husband to leave the house, she realizes that there may be a difference between real love and a vague need for understanding.

Coming out from jail, Lucas has decided to change his life and behave like a good citizen. But when he is taken hostage in a bank by a hare-brained robber, no cops can believe he is not part of the action.

A rock-star who stopped singing after the death of his brother finds a female genie in a vase. She tries to help him live again.

In the early 1960s, nearly 20 years since the Second World War ended, an Italian general, accompanied by a priest who is also an Italian army colonel, is sent to Albania to locate and collect the bones of his countrymen who had died during the war and return them for burial in Italy. As they go deeper into the Albanian countryside they find they are being followed by another general who is looking for the bodies of German soldiers killed in World War II.

Gloria Ruckhauser has a dream: rediscovering the figure and features of herself when she was 20. Convinced that science is getting nowhere in the search for a cure to the aging process, Gloria sets up a foundation whose mission is to find a miracle potion. Various scientists take up the challenge and develop a substance that reverses the biological clock. Now, they face a new challenge. How to stop getting younger before it's too late.

In a school on the extreme outskirts of Rome, a young teacher, instead of neglecting his half-empty classroom, decides to tackle the problem looking for the children who do not attend classes.

Three tales of very different women using their sexuality as a means to getting what they want.

When her husband returns from his work abroad with a guest, a young girl, his wife suspects a liaison. She leaves her home. Her boss takes her to the Côte d'Azur. They get closer during the long voyage and the man invites her to his marital home.

A sweeping documentary explores China through its people, showcasing life in Beijing's old city and a bustling cotton factory, a collective farm in Henan, the historic city of Suzhou, and the industrial port of Shanghai, culminating in a vibrant acrobatic performance.

An Italian immigrant tries to make a new life in Switzerland, taking on a series of increasingly menial jobs in order to do it. He attempts to fit into his new home and society but fails at every turn. Unable to go home again, will his tenacity and optimism be enough to live on?

When Luca's girlfriend Mirna inexplicably dumps him, he finds solace in the arms of two fashion models, Stefania and Claudia. When Stefania mysteriously disappears after photographing herself having rough sex with Luca, Mirna begins sending him the negatives -but to what end? Meanwhile, Claudia searches for her missing friend...

A filmmaker of committed films, together with his lover, plans to commit suicide within a few days.

Police commissioner Santamaria is investigating the murder of the ambiguous architect Mr. Garrone. The investigations soon drive him into the Torino's high society. Santamaria suspect Anna Carla and at the same time falls in love for her. Lello is the lover of Massimo, Anna Carla’s gay friend. He is following another direction in order to find out the truth, and his results are confusing the Policeman. But another murder happens...

Richard is a medieval nobleman. After his first wife dies in an accident and is buried in the family vault, he remarries and has children by his second wife. A mad longing for his first wife Leonor comes over him, and he sells his soul to the devil for a chance to get her back. But when she returns, she is a murderous vampire.

The Pope is disturbed by the fact that today's youth are not as spiritually inclined as they should be, and so he decides to set up a Vatican television station and entice them back into the religion of their ancestors. In order to particularly grab the wandering flock, a priest invites the comedians from "The Other Sunday," an actual comedy program on Italian television, to perform on this new channel.

Third and final version of the La Cage aux Folles series has Renato's drag queen lover Albin learning that he can inherit a vast fortune from a distant relative. But the catch is that Albin must marry (a woman) and produce a heir within a year or the whole inheritance will be forfeited.

Splendor is the name of an old movie theater managed by Jordan (Mastroianni), who inherited it from his father. The theater is in decay and only generates debts and trouble, but Jordan gets aid in his almost quixotian quest from projectionist Luigi (Troisi) and ushurette Chantale (Vlady). However, Jordan is finally forced to sell the Splendor to businessman Lo Fazio (Piperno), which plans to transform it in some kind of furniture store. When Jordan leaves the theater for the last time (the very first scene), he recalls the glorious days of Splendor and movies in general.

Wealthy Sunny von Bülow lies brain-dead, husband Claus guilty of attempted murder; but he says he's innocent and hires Alan Dershowitz for his appeal.

An ecological drama/documentary, filmed throughout the globe. Part thriller, part meditation on the vanishing wonders of the sub-aquatic world.

When Englishman Jonathan Harker visits the exotic castle of Count Dracula, he is entranced by the mysterious aristocrat. But upon learning that the count has sinister designs on his wife, Mina, Harker seeks help from vampire slayer Van Helsing.

Dorante, an impoverished young man, is taken on as a secretary by Araminte, a rich widow with whom he is secretly in love. The valet Dubois does all he can to get Araminte to fall in love with Dorante. Following his staging of Marivaux’s comedy at the Odéon theater, Luc Bondy turns the whole theater building into a film studio, placing his actors in the foyer, under the stage, in the kitchens, using the most unusual and unexpected spots to invent a new dynamic between theater and film.

During the brutal era of the military government, an innocent tourist manager is accused of being a member of the illegal resistance movement.

Vittorio is a 40-year-old journalist who reaches a mid-life crisis. His wife nags him constantly for ignoring her and their child. After his mistress dumps him, Vittorio returns to the town where he spent his childhood to reflect on the state of his life. Flashbacks are used to tell of Vittorio’s relationship with his parents as a child and the effects World War II had on his development.

In three vignettes, two exes, a tour guide and a married couple struggle to overcome a series of misadventures during their vacations.

Jacopo, Duccio, Cecco, Manfredo and Filippo are five friends who live in Florence of the fifteenth century, during a plague epidemic.

Marco, a nine year old boy, is in love with his elementary teacher, and feels neglected by his workaholic parents. When they forget about his birthday he wishes he could grow up at once. This really happens and Marco begins a new life as an adult. He rents a room in his teacher's flat and she falls in love with him. He even fakes a kidnapping when he runs out of money but he is mistaken for the kidnapper.

Two parents deal with the effects when their son is accused of murdering his girlfriend.

In the early 1960s, nearly 20 years since the Second World War ended, an Italian general, accompanied by a priest who is also an Italian army colonel, is sent to Albania to locate and collect the bones of his countrymen who had died during the war and return them for burial in Italy. As they go deeper into the Albanian countryside they find they are being followed by another general who is looking for the bodies of German soldiers killed in World War II.

A shaman from the South American rain forest visits France for a public relations campaign. In a hotel's elevator in Paris he meets a French good-for-nothing named Perrin he's fascinated with. He follows Perrin to his flat and although Perrin is not very enthusiastic about so much interest in his person, he lets the shaman spend the night in his flat. After an official meeting on the next day being part of the PR campaign the shaman suffers from a heart attack. Hardly being able to speak and laying in a hospital bed he demands to see Perrin. The latter is not very interested in meeting the shaman again. However it looks like it is to late for animosities as the shaman and Perrin seem to be tied mentally somehow since they've met in the elevator.

A Sardinian peasant is implicated in the murder of a policeman and, although innocent, he doesn’t give himself up, lacking faith in the judicial system and fearing that he may lose his sheep while awaiting trial.

Husband finds out that his wife is a secret agent and that she has a handsome partner.

Two teenagers looking for love find each other in this tragic and cruel story of romance, co-dependence and psychological torment. Pierre (Frank Grimes) is the French boy who saves the British girl Sarah (Carole Andre) from suicide. Despondent over a broken affair, Sarah soon becomes fond of Pierre and agrees to stay with him. The twisted girl puts him through a series of humiliations before she intentionally blinds him so he will never leave her.

A young writer descends into madness. Alienated, neurotic, and plagued by guilt, Michele retreats from reality, loses interest in work, and comes to the brink of suicide before being sent to an asylum for shock therapy. Escaping from the asylum, Michele returns to his boyhood home, where he learns the reasons for his present mental state.

Carlo, on vacation in South Africa with his second wife Susanna meets her younger brother Giorgio.

Dodger, a criminal monkey, belongs to a crooked street performer but escapes his life of crime only to end up in the arms of Eva, an innocent little girl whose mother has no idea that her daughter is harboring a fugitive.

Psychological drama of the compelling relationship between a young French engineer and the girl he takes into his home after his wife has left him with their baby son.

A man, mirroring the assassinated King, infiltrates a castle to kill the Queen but hesitates, leading to a deadly dare and revelation of shared history.

The travels in Italy of director Andrei Tarkovsky in preparation for the making of his film Nostalghia.

Lieutenant Giovanni Drogo is assigned to the old Bastiani border fortress where he expects an imminent attack by nomadic fearsome Tartars.

A young woman trapped in a web of dark family secrets finds herself in a dangerous triangle of love, jealousy, and deception, where the truth hides in her past.

A young composer moves from Berlin to the island of Ibiza and begins a friendship with an elderly woman whose painful past has caused her to reject everything to do with Germany, including her native language.

In metahistorical New York city electrotechnician Lafayette deals with a megalomaniac director of a wax museum of ancient Rome, an italian lonely anarchist, a group of feminist actresses - including Angelica who falls in love with him - and a small adopted chimpanzee.

Julien is an electronics professional who is down on his luck when he decides to enter an international sailboat race. He is led astray from his original good intentions by a low-life press agent who convinces him it would be well worth his while to win the race by illegal maneuvering. As he sets off, flashbacks tell how he came to be on the sailboat; later he has long monologues -- several of them, and in-between he occasionally battles to stay afloat on an uncooperative sea.

During a drug trafficking investigation, two officers from the Rome Squad, accidentally break into a beautiful villa, inhabited by an Italian-American.

A couple takes on a homeless teenager. The trio forms a family-like community that seems to work extremely informally and without many regulations. But then the harmonic situation escalates as the boy falls in love with his "adoptive mother".

A man and his mistress have just taken off for a weekend romp when they're kidnapped by a trio of bank robbers. They wind up becoming media "stars" as police and reporters follow them. They all wind up at the beat-up shack of a cranky old codger, with the police surrounding them and the robbers threatening to kill everybody.

On the 20th anniversary of Federico Fellini's death, Ettore Scola, a devoted admirer of the incomparable maestro, commemorates the lesser-known aspects of his personality, employing interviews, photographs, behind-the-scenes footage as well as his drawings and film clips.

A film based on Jacques Chessex' novel of the same title; featuring André Wilms as Chessex and Bruno Ganz as Arthur Bloch, Swiss Jew killed by Swiss Nazis.

A razor-wielding serial killer is on the loose, murdering those around Peter Neal, an American mystery author in Italy to promote his newest novel.

A zealous, handsome priest, who is the confessor for a convent full of women, encourages the equally zealous abbess of the institution to enforce strict rules on these unfortunate women. At the same time, a particularly disturbed nun manages to poison herself and many of the other novitiates in yet another scandal which is covered up by church authorities.

A reputed art critic convinces a young actress to play for him alone the role of a mysterious and seductive woman.

A psychiatrist tries to help a suicidal woman who despises her grown daughter.

Eccentric and full of manias, Michele is a young high school professor who defines himself as “not used to happiness”. He realizes his life is meaningless if he doesn’t have a woman by his side but, after a series of rather disastrous experiences, he feels more alone than ever. Then, out of the blue, a new French teacher called Bianca arrives at school. Amongst uncertainties and contradictions, the two start dating. In the meantime, a series of homicides take place and a police officer begins to suspect that Michele is involved. Bianca will save him providing an alibi at the right moment, but then, everything goes wrong again.

A photographer comes back to Italy after a trip to India and struggles to adjust to his new life.

Seven masked bandits, whose chief calls himself "Mormon", kidnap young Susy, cousin of the mayor of Clayton City, Frank Clonny. Frank accepts the $15,000 ransom requested by the bandits and thinks of a plan which will permit him, with the help of Benson, the sheriff, to free his cousin, recover the money and capture the outlaws. The plan, though, is destined to fail, because one of the mayor's men, Donovan, allows the bandits to escape the trap. Benson then decides to call in Sartana, who the Mormon immediately tries to eliminate with the help of four killers: Buffalo, who kills with a bullwhip; Martinez, an expert knife thrower; Sullivan, a giant of incredible strength and Silky, a sly and fast gunslinger.

A young teacher tries to reform a gorilla.

The writer and college professor, Alexandre Fayard, researches and gives lectures about the gruesome literary work of the mysterious Japanese writer Shundei Oe, considered by him to be the master of manipulation.