News

Mid-August Lunch

Starring Gianni Di Gregorio, Valeria De Franciscis, and Marina Cacciotti

Directed by Gianni Di Gregorio

Not rated

We're getting close to summer, and that's when Hollywood tends to put away character development and honest emotions like winter clothes, only unpacking them again once the leaves fall off the tree. So we have to rely on the few indie films that find their way into theaters over the next few months as well as imports designed to offer you something different.

It's unlikely that any of the major summer fare will take as much time and effort to explore its characters as Mid-August Lunch, an Italian film that picked up several European film award nominations last year.

Part of that rather obvious shift from the sort of movies that will be upconverted to 3-D is the conscious decision by writer-director- star Gianni Di Gregorio to work with a cast of non-actors,...

Director: Gianni Di Gregorio Writer: Gianni di Gregorio, Simone Riccardini. Starring: Gianni Di Gregorio, Valeria de Franciscis, Marina Cacciotti, Maria Cali, Nazan Kırılmış Written and directed by Gianni Di Gregorio (co-writer of 2008’s Gomorrah), Mid-August Lunch features Di Gregorio as the financially-strapped Gianni who resides with his 93-year-old mother (Valeria De Franciscis) in a condominium in Trastevere, a working-class district of Rome. Gianni has fallen behind on their condo payments – it seems Gianni might be unemployed – and the building manager (Alfonso Santagata) blatantly takes advantage of Gianni’s situation. In exchange for taking care of his elderly mother (Marina Cacciotti) and aunt (Maria Cali) – so he can sneak away in his convertible for a mid-August vacation with his youthful signorina – the building manager will waive Gianni’s mounting housing debts. Then, in lieu of payment for a medical house-call, a doctor (Marcello Ottolenghi) convinces Gianni to baby-sit his mom (Grazia Cesarini Sforza...

Rating: 3.0/5.0

Chicago – Not much happens in “Mid-August Lunch.” It’s as uneventful and often benign as the title suggests, though that’s not to say it’s dull. Some films are primarily about plot, while others are about behavior, and this quietly observant international crowd-pleaser certainly fits in the latter category.

It marks the directorial debut of Italian filmmaker Gianni Di Gregorio, who co-wrote Matteo Garrone’s brilliant crime saga “Gomorrah” (Garrone is credited as the producer of “Lunch”). What made “Gomorrah” so powerful, apart from its riveting series of intersecting story lines, was its refusal to romanticize the material. There was no escapist thrill found in watching ordinary Italians whose lives are controlled, and in some cases destroyed, by the mob organization known as the Camorra. The film’s uncompromising level of realism was a crucial element of its success. In contrast, “Lunch” is a welcome diversion, though it’s no less authentic.

Back to indie film. Now our current film focus is on Gianni Di Gregorio's "Mid-August Lunch" (a.k.a. "Pranzo di Ferragosto") which Zeitgeist Films distributes in the U.S. The cast is frontlined by Gregoria who is joined by Valeria De Franciscis, Marina Cacciotti,Maria Calì, Grazia Cesarini Sforza, Alfonso Santagata, Luigi Marchetti, Marcello Ottolenghi and Petre Rosu. Simone Riccardini writes alongside Di Gregorio.The film had its premiere at the 2008 Venice Film Festival and is a multiple award winner including taking home three awards at the Venice Fest. The charismatic Gianni Di Gregorio (co-scenarist of the smash hit Gomorrah), stars in his directorial debut—an utterly charming tale of good food, feisty ladies and unlikely friendships during a very Roman holiday. Broke, and armed with only a glass of wine and a wry sense of humor, middle-aged Gianni resides with his 93-year-old mother in their ancient apartment.