June 3, 2010 – The 2010 Rome Film Festival, which runs from October 28 to November 5, pays tribute to Ugo Tognazzi on the twentieth anniversary of his death, with the world premiere to be screened during the Festival: the documentary Ritratto di mio padre (Portrait of My Father), directed by Tognazzi’s daughter Maria Sole Tognazzi. In addition, every film in competition in the Festival’s various sections will be preceded by a montage of Tognazzi’s greatest performances spanning his entire career. The Festival as well, will show Ricky Tognazzi’s new film Il padre e lo straniero, based on the novel of the same name by Giancarlo De Cataldo and starring Alessandro Gassman and Ksenia Rappoport.
Eeach film in the competition lineup will be kicked off by a montage of the Tognazzi’s greatest performances, chosen from his entire oeuvre as both actor and director (Tognazzi actually directed himself in five films; Il mantenuto, 1961; The Seventh Floor, 1966; Yes Sir, 1968; Cattivi pensieri, 1976; and I viaggiatori della sera, 1979).
The documentary Ritratto di mio padre (Portrait of My Father) is having its world premiere at the Rome Film Festival. Directed by Tognazzi’s daughter, Maria Sole Tognazzi, and produced by Matteo Rovere’s Ascent Film combines anecdotes, the actor’s films, and interviews with fellow film personalities he worked with (ranging from Mario Monicelli, Ettore Scola, and Michel Piccoli to Laura Morante and Valeria Golino), as well as his sons Ricky, Gianmarco and Thomas. The director has also woven in private super 8s seen here for the first time, the most genuine records of the actor’s family life, social milieu, and work on the set. The screening will be accompanied by a special event devoted to Ugo Tognazzi’s daughter in which the family and many of those who worked with her father will take part.
Finally, the 2010 Rome Film Festival announces the premiere of Ricky Tognazzi’s Il padre e lo straniero, starring Alessandro Gassman and Ksenia Rappoport. Based on the novel of the same name by Giancarlo De Cataldo and produced by Grazia Volpi for Ager 3 and Rai Cinema, the film is the story of the twin hurdles facing fathers of disabled children who are also foreigners in an intolerant society.
