1860

Followed by a panel discussion!

Made as a rousing anthem to Italian unification and the struggle for independence, 1860 chronicles the arduous journey of Carmelo, a Sicilian peasant who sets off for Garibaldi’s headquarters in the north. Along the way he encounters a veritable panorama of Italian types, from every region and every class, yet all united by a single aim. While rife with fascist overtones—Blasetti was a supporter of Mussolini—the film was nevertheless widely admired by the Neo-Realists for its depiction of the Risorgimento from the point of view of the masses who would be its foot soldiers.

Please note: We will be screening a 16mm archive print which cannot be cut and mounted onto one reel. There will be brief pauses for reel changes.

Panelists

Alexander Stille, San Paolo Professor of Intellectual Journalism, Columbia University, frequent contributor to The New York Times, La Repubblica, and The New York Review of Books.

Stefano Albertini, Clinical Professor of Italian and Director of the Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò, New York University.

Mario Martone, director of  We Believed.