Program

16

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

08:30:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

39th Lovers Film Festival's Opening Night

With Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Guest of Honor, Natascia Maesi, Arcigay's Chairperson, and Vladimir Luxuria.

Live set: Tekemaya.

Attending: Juan Pablo Di Pace, Director, Oscar Morgan and Julia Bender, actors.

Buy

DUINO
by Juan Pablo Di Pace, Andrés Pepe Estrada

Country: USA, Year: 2024, Duration: 108'

There is something sacred about falling in love for the first time: a totalizing experience that we cannot live again once it is over. Matias, a 40-year-old Argentinian director, is struggling with an unfinished film inspired by his first love: the subject is Alexander, a Swedish friend he met at an international school in Istria in the 1990s. When Alexander is suddenly expelled from school, Matias has to find his way through emotions unspoken to the world and to himself. This meta-cinematic coming-of-age tale, based on a true story, will have its world premiere at Lovers.

17

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

05:00:PM

LOVERS CELEBRATION

IN & OUT

90'

English

Attending: Vladimir Luxuria meets Angelo Perrone (Film PR) in a talk about his professional career.

Free entry.

IN & OUT
by Frank Oz

Country: USA, Year: 1997, Duration: 90'

Howard Brackett, a teacher in Greenleaf, Indiana, is just days away from his much-awaited wedding day. Everything changes when his former student (and now famous actor) Cameron Drake thanks him, in his Oscar acceptance speech, for having inspired his portrayal of a gay soldier. The bewildered teacher finds himself on an unexpected journey that will bring him into conflict with the hypocrisy of the people around him, and lead him to question who he really is. A subtle, sparkling comedy, inspired by masters like Frank Capra and Billy Wilder, in which Kevin Kline gives an outstanding performance in the leading role.

17

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

06:15:PM

LOVERS CELEBRATION

THE SCANDALOUS ADVENTURES OF LORD BYRON

96'

English - sott.it.

After the screening, talk with Rupert Everett and Vincenzo Patanè, journalist and cinema professor.

Free entry.

THE SCANDALOUS ADVENTURES OF LORD BYRON
by Michael Waldman

Country: UK, Year: 2009, Duration: 96'

“The first rockstar”, “Crazy, evil and dangerous”. This is how Rupert Everett introduces us to the British romantic poet Lord Byron. Between 1809 and 1810, his daring and eccentric personality led him on a journey from Portugal to Istanbul, through high society gatherings, Turkish baths and brothels. He leaps from one adventure to another, passing from one lover to another, causing scandal with his wild behavior. Ironic and entertaining narrator Rupert Everett accurately recounts Byron’s feats in this episodic, on-the-road period piece produced by Channel 4.

17

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

07:30:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

RILEY

93'

English - sott.it.

Attending: Guglielmo Scilla and Theater Company della Luna

Buy

RILEY
by Benjamin Howard

Country: USA, Year: 2023, Duration: 93'

Ambitious Dakota Riley begins his last year of high school like most of his peers: in the constant monotony that characterizes adolescence. He has great expectations for the future of his long-term commitment to sport. Dakota lives within precisely defined boundaries, he considers the future as a calculated project, in which he has established the basis of his own identity. But when the reality of that identity is called into question, Dakota is forced to face the consequences of denying his true self or compromising who he really is. One of the best coming-of-age films of the year.

17

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

08:00:PM

REAL LOVERS

M IS FOR MOTHERS

86'

Portuguese - sott.it./Eng.sub.

Buy

17

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

08:30:PM

LOVERS CELEBRATION

CARICIAS

94'

Spanish - sott.it.

Buy

CARICIAS
by Ventura Pons

Country: Spain, Year: 1998, Duration: 94'

An interweaving of eleven stories in one night in Barcelona: characters who are distant from each other but are similar in the incapacity to communicate their existential failure and their inability to give a name to what they are feeling. A fragmented, unstructured film that focuses on couple relationships in all their possible variations. With echoes of Kieslowski and Almodóvar, he narrates the loneliness and anxieties of the end of the Millennium, giving a glimpse of light in the loveless darkness in which the protagonists coexist. Lovers FF's fitting tribute to the Catalan master Ventura Pons, who left us last January.

17

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

10:00:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

LUCES AZULES

(BLUE LIGHTS)

100'

Spanish - sott.it./Eng.sub.

Attending: Tekemaya

Buy

LUCES AZULES
BLUE LIGHTS
by Lucas Santa Ana

Country: Argentina, Year: 2024, Duration: 100'

Alejandro is celebrating his 70th birthday and hosting a party at his home. He invites all of his friends: two mature couples, one hetero and one gay, who have known him for over 20 years; two young couples, one gay and one lesbian; and a 60-year-old gay widower. It doesn’t take long for conflicts of different kinds to break out among the guests. These conflicts will develop throughout the evening under the protection of the hosts and will involve everyone present. Somewhere between drama and comedy, a choral story about the intergenerational exchange of experiences, loneliness, fidelity and friendship.

17

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

10:15:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

THE MATTACHINE FAMILY

99'

English - sott.it.

Buy

THE MATTACHINE FAMILY
by Andy Vallentine

Country: USA, Year: 2023, Duration: 99'

A series of unexpected events triggers a crisis for Thomas and Oscar: their foster child has rejoined his biological mother and, at the same time, Oscar’s acting career seems to be finally taking off, keeping him away from home for long periods of time. They very soon realize that their personal ideas of what a family should be clash. Thomas has no choice but to try to figure out what he wants from life and what it means to be gay in a world that’s full of opportunities for those who grew up thinking that they would never be able to get married and have kids. Starring Nico Tortorella and Heather Matarazzo.

17

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

10:30:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

THE VISITOR

101'

English - sott.it

In collaboration with Fish&Chips Film Festival. With Edoardo Risaliti, programmer.

Buy

THE VISITOR
by Bruce LaBruce

Country: UK, Year: 2024, Duration: 101'

London. Mysterious suitcases, from which identical-looking men emerge, are found in various parts of the city. Among them is a refugee, dressed as a homeless man, who comes out of the waters of the Thames and arrives at the door of an upper-class family. Here he makes the acquaintance of their maid and is offered a job as a servant. Soon he is having sex with each and every inhabitant of the house. Bruce LaBruce is reimagining, from a queer and post-modern perspective, Pasolini's Teorema, to which the film is dedicated. The Visitor brings the subversive energy of the earlier film into the present, with alienating and psychedelic results.

18

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

05:00:PM

LOVERS CELEBRATION

ANOTHER COUNTRY

90'

English - sott.it.

Attending: Rupert Everett.

Buy

ANOTHER COUNTRY
by Marek Kanievska

Country: UK, Year: 1984, Duration: 90'

A story told about Guy Bennett, who left the UK to become a KGB spy. Raised in the 30’s following the rigidly formal values of the British upper middle class, he was oppressed by its hypocrisies and prejudices. Labelled as different for being homosexual, he was expelled from the prestigious college he attended and was ostracized by his own family. This led to his irreversible decision to turn to the Soviets and against his own country, which had rejected him. Based on a true story and awarded a prize at the Cannes Festival in 1984, this movie features a brilliant performance by Rupert Everett in the leading role.

18

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

05:15:PM

LOVERS CELEBRATION

REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE

108'

English - sott.it.

Attending: Giulio Base, Torino Film Festival's Director.

Free entry

REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE
by John Huston

Country: USA, Year: 1967, Duration: 108'

Rigid, troubled Sergeant Major Penderton (Marlon Brando) is married to beautiful, bad-tempered Leonora (Elizabeth Taylor), who despises him and has an affair with Lieutenant Colonel Langdon. The Sergeant Major’s forbidden desire is Private Williams who, in his turn, is obsessed with Penderton’s wife, spying on her when she is at home with tragic results. Lovers FF and Turin Film Festival rediscover one of the least known Brando films, in a kitsch, tragic melodrama, based on Carson McCullers’ novel and directed by movie master John Houston.

18

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

05:30:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

MARINETTE

95'

French - sott.it./Eng.sub.

Buy

MARINETTE
by Virginie Verrier

Country: France, Year: 2023, Duration: 95'

For Marinette Pichon, universally considered as the greatest woman football player of all times, football is more than a sport. It has been the means that enabled her to escape her toxic family. However, despite all her achievements, for a long time her professional and existential condition has remained second-class . Female football players were (and still are) not recognised as professionals in France. Being the first French female player to sign with the Philadephia Charge team, allows her to set herself free. And finally, everything changes: she no longer has to hide her sexuality.

18

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

07:30:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

CLOSE TO YOU

100'

English - sott.it.

Attending: Annagaia Marchioro.

Attending: Dominic Savage, Director

Buy

CLOSE TO YOU
by Dominic Savage

Country: USA, Year: 2023, Duration: 100'

After his transition, Sam has never gone home and, after four years in Toronto, he embarks on the dreaded journey back home for his father’s birthday. On the train he meets Katherine, a friend from high school with a difficult life, and their feelings for each other, unresolved in the past, begin to resurface. Sam is worried about seeing his family after such a long time. What torments him is not the fear that they will reject him, but the comments and unsolicited questions that he may receive. How can he escape the ignorance and the sense of embarrassment of those who should be closely supporting him?

18

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

07:30:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

WHO'LL STOP THE RAIN

114'

taiwanese - Sott.Ita/ Eng.Sub.

Buy

WHO'LL STOP THE RAIN
by SU I-Hsuan

Country: Taiwan, Year: 2023, Duration: 114'

Taiwan, 1994. The desire for freedom explodes among the students at the School of Fine Arts in Taipei. Conformism and the patriarchal mindset of the principal Yung-shin rule the academy. 19-year-old Chi-wei is actively participating in protests when she finds herself caught up in an erotic love triangle, which involves the movement leader Ching and her boyfriend Kuang, the movement spokesperson. The first feature film by Taiwanese director Su I-hsuan, who, with this political drama recalling 70s Japanese cinema, took part in the Rotterdam International Film Festival and BFI Flare (London LGBT Film Festival).

18

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

08:00:PM

FUTURE LOVERS

Future Lovers - Program 1

Attending: Sein Lyan Tun, Everybody's Gotta Love Sometimes' Director.

Buy

18

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

09:45:PM

LOVERS CELEBRATION

THE CAPOTE TAPES

98'

Italian

Buy

THE CAPOTE TAPES
by Ebs Burnough

Country: USA, UK, Year: 2019, Duration: 98'

What happened to Truman Capote's last unfinished novel? A caustic collection of the vices and flaws of New York high society, excerpts of which appeared in "Esquire" in the Seventies... Ruining his friendships with the upper middle class whose darling he had been for years. And plunging him into a vortex of depression, alcohol and drugs, damaging his career irreversibly. The audio recordings collected by the co-founder of “The Paris Review” George Plimpton, presented in this archive documentary, try to shed light on what is a real detective story.

18

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

10:00:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

THE JUDGMENT

111'

English

Attending: Tekemaya.

Buy

THE JUDGMENT
by Marwan Mokbel

Country: Egypt, Year: 2023, Duration: 111'

Mo and his boyfriend Hisham return to Egypt from the USA because of a family emergency But they need to pretend they are just friends to protect themselves from the homophobic environment. Mo is anxious and nervous because someone knows his secret, as he finds himself being targeted by witchcraft. Despite pretending to be an atheist and modern, Mo is frightened. He feels as if he is being tormented by judgement day, the god he has hated, his mother, who always rejected him, and his past sins. This will inevitably lead him to face himself: will he be strong enough to stand up and break free?

18

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

10:15:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

DUINO

108'

English

Buy

DUINO
by Juan Pablo Di Pace, Andrés Pepe Estrada

Country: USA, Year: 2024, Duration: 108'

There is something sacred about falling in love for the first time: a totalizing experience that we cannot live again once it is over. Matias, a 40-year-old Argentinian director, is struggling with an unfinished film inspired by his first love: the subject is Alexander, a Swedish friend he met at an international school in Istria in the 1990s. When Alexander is suddenly expelled from school, Matias has to find his way through emotions unspoken to the world and to himself. This meta-cinematic coming-of-age tale, based on a true story, will have its world premiere at Lovers.

19

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

05:00:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

THE MATTACHINE FAMILY

99'

English - sott.it.

Buy

THE MATTACHINE FAMILY
by Andy Vallentine

Country: USA, Year: 2023, Duration: 99'

A series of unexpected events triggers a crisis for Thomas and Oscar: their foster child has rejoined his biological mother and, at the same time, Oscar’s acting career seems to be finally taking off, keeping him away from home for long periods of time. They very soon realize that their personal ideas of what a family should be clash. Thomas has no choice but to try to figure out what he wants from life and what it means to be gay in a world that’s full of opportunities for those who grew up thinking that they would never be able to get married and have kids. Starring Nico Tortorella and Heather Matarazzo.

19

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

05:15:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

AKOE/AMFI - THE STORY OF A REVOLUTION (*JUST TO SLEEP ON THEIR CHEST...)

(AKOE/AMFI - THE STORY OF A REVOLUTION (*JUST TO SLEEP ON THEIR CHEST...))

71'

Greek - sott.it./Eng.sub.

Talk about Europride with Fenia Kirkmali, Europride Thessaloniki 2024, Mario Colamrino, chairman at Circolo Mario Mieli and spokeperson for Roma Pride, Jacopo Rosatelli, Councilor of the Municipality of Torino, Alessandro Battaglia and Iossif Vardakis, Director of the documentary.

Free entry.

AKOE/AMFI - THE STORY OF A REVOLUTION (*JUST TO SLEEP ON THEIR CHEST...)
by Iossif Vardakis

Country: Greece, Year: 2023, Duration: 71'

In 1977 a group of friends created A.K.O.E., the Greek Homosexual Liberation Movement. The movement magazine "Amfi" and its offices in the legendary basement of Zalongou Street, would become a place of shelter for the Greek LGBTQI+ community until 1990. A.K.O.E and "Amfi" would be the first points of reference for a community that was beginning to become aware and to organize itself. It would be a revolution claiming the right to exist, the right to happiness and the right to love. Its story is told for the first time.

19

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

06:00:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

LESVIA

77'

Attending: Tzeli Hadjidimitriou, Director.

Buy

LESVIA
by Tzeli Hadjidimitriou

Country: Greece, Year: 2024, Duration: 77'

Since the 1970s, lesbians from all over the world have ventured to the island of Lesvos in search of the poetess Sappho. Since then, the small village of Eressos has become the destination for unforgettable summers of love and radical separatism. This woman director, originally from the village, recounts the utopian experience through archive photos and videos, while showing its sometimes conflictual impact on the local people. A hymn to a time that was crucial for lesbian history, a love letter to a vibrant community and a reflection on the meaning of inclusion.

19

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

07:30:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

THROUPLE

90'

Attending: Paolo Camilli.

Attending: Greyson Horst, Director.

Buy

THROUPLE
by Greyson Horst

Country: USA, Year: 2024, Duration: 90'

Michael, a lonely gay singer-songwriter, has lost his enthusiasm and his vocation. An encounter with an uninhibited couple turns into a night of unexpected vulnerability. The couple challenges Michael to open himself up to what he really feels and to write new songs. And Michael rekindle the spark in a marriage that seems to be lost. But his world goes haywire due to some decisions that will change the lives of his loved ones. Michael must decide whether to express his feelings and pursue what he really wants – both in music and in relationships – or to see it slip away.

19

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

07:45:PM

REAL LOVERS

DESIRE LINES

81'

English - sott.it.

In streaming: Jules Rosskam, Director.

Buy

DESIRE LINES
by Jules Rosskam

Country: USA, Year: 2024, Duration: 81'

Ahmad, a trans researcher of Iranian origin, is working in an archive dedicated to the American LGBTQI+ movements and he comes across the story of Lou Sullivan, the first FtM gay activist. Thanks to this discovery/encounter, the place suddenly turns into a sauna, and the research he is carrying out into a sensual, hallucinatory journey, backwards in time, to bring his desire to light. A visionary documentary that assembles fiction, historical materials and candid interviews to explore and celebrate the homosexual experience of trans men. It won an award at the last Sundance Film Festival.

19

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

08:00:PM

FUTURE LOVERS

Future Lovers - Program 2

Attending: Kate Maveau and Giovanna Tamà, Director and Set Designer of It Burns.

Buy

19

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

10:15:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

CLOSE TO YOU

100'

English - sott.it.

Buy

CLOSE TO YOU
by Dominic Savage

Country: USA, Year: 2023, Duration: 100'

After his transition, Sam has never gone home and, after four years in Toronto, he embarks on the dreaded journey back home for his father’s birthday. On the train he meets Katherine, a friend from high school with a difficult life, and their feelings for each other, unresolved in the past, begin to resurface. Sam is worried about seeing his family after such a long time. What torments him is not the fear that they will reject him, but the comments and unsolicited questions that he may receive. How can he escape the ignorance and the sense of embarrassment of those who should be closely supporting him?

19

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

10:30:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

ÚSVIT

(WE HAVE NEVER BEEN MODERN)

117'

Czech - sott.it./Eng.sub.

Attending: Tekemaya.

Buy

ÚSVIT
WE HAVE NEVER BEEN MODERN
by Matej Chlupacek

Country: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Year: 2023, Duration: 117'

Czechoslovakia, 1937. Helena, the wife of an important engineer, is about to give birth and has a bright future ahead of her: the couple live in a futuristic place, a newly founded city surrounded by countryside. Her dreams and illusions falter when the corpse of an intersex baby emerges from a mound of earth, on a building site. Helena wants to, or rather must, find out what really happened, for the safety of her unborn child. An unexpected and tortuous path, which will bring her into conflict with her own prejudices and lead her to discover a different reality from the one she had foreseen.

19

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

10:30:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

THE VISITOR

101'

English - sott.it

Buy

THE VISITOR
by Bruce LaBruce

Country: UK, Year: 2024, Duration: 101'

London. Mysterious suitcases, from which identical-looking men emerge, are found in various parts of the city. Among them is a refugee, dressed as a homeless man, who comes out of the waters of the Thames and arrives at the door of an upper-class family. Here he makes the acquaintance of their maid and is offered a job as a servant. Soon he is having sex with each and every inhabitant of the house. Bruce LaBruce is reimagining, from a queer and post-modern perspective, Pasolini's Teorema, to which the film is dedicated. The Visitor brings the subversive energy of the earlier film into the present, with alienating and psychedelic results.

20

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

02:00:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

MARINETTE

95'

French - sott.it./Eng.sub.

Buy

MARINETTE
by Virginie Verrier

Country: France, Year: 2023, Duration: 95'

For Marinette Pichon, universally considered as the greatest woman football player of all times, football is more than a sport. It has been the means that enabled her to escape her toxic family. However, despite all her achievements, for a long time her professional and existential condition has remained second-class . Female football players were (and still are) not recognised as professionals in France. Being the first French female player to sign with the Philadephia Charge team, allows her to set herself free. And finally, everything changes: she no longer has to hide her sexuality.

20

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

02:00:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

ÚSVIT

(WE HAVE NEVER BEEN MODERN)

117'

Czech - sott.it./Eng.sub.

Buy

ÚSVIT
WE HAVE NEVER BEEN MODERN
by Matej Chlupacek

Country: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Year: 2023, Duration: 117'

Czechoslovakia, 1937. Helena, the wife of an important engineer, is about to give birth and has a bright future ahead of her: the couple live in a futuristic place, a newly founded city surrounded by countryside. Her dreams and illusions falter when the corpse of an intersex baby emerges from a mound of earth, on a building site. Helena wants to, or rather must, find out what really happened, for the safety of her unborn child. An unexpected and tortuous path, which will bring her into conflict with her own prejudices and lead her to discover a different reality from the one she had foreseen.

20

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

02:15:PM

FUTURE LOVERS

Future Lovers - Program 1

Buy

20

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

04:00:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

A PART OF US

89'

Portuguese - Sott.it./Eng.sub.

Attending: Alexander Mello, Rio LGBTQIA+ International Film festival's Director.

Buy

A PART OF US
by Flávio Botelho

Country: Brazil, Year: 2023, Duration: 89'

Francisca and Carlos struggle to adapt to their new life after the suicide of their only son, Felipe. Immersed in fantasies, fear and melancholy they each have their own way of facing dramatic experiences. Carlos moves into Filipe’s apartment; Francisca, eaten up with guilt, wants to understand why the irreparable happened. An encounter with a neighbor, the ex-lover of their son, takes the process of grieving in an unexpected direction. Because, as the director, himself says, “We have to face the issue of suicide, since it is the main cause of death among youth in Brazill”.

20

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

04:15:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

LUCES AZULES

(BLUE LIGHTS)

100'

Spanish - sott.it./Eng.sub.

Buy

LUCES AZULES
BLUE LIGHTS
by Lucas Santa Ana

Country: Argentina, Year: 2024, Duration: 100'

Alejandro is celebrating his 70th birthday and hosting a party at his home. He invites all of his friends: two mature couples, one hetero and one gay, who have known him for over 20 years; two young couples, one gay and one lesbian; and a 60-year-old gay widower. It doesn’t take long for conflicts of different kinds to break out among the guests. These conflicts will develop throughout the evening under the protection of the hosts and will involve everyone present. Somewhere between drama and comedy, a choral story about the intergenerational exchange of experiences, loneliness, fidelity and friendship.

20

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

04:30:PM

FUTURE LOVERS

Future Lovers - Program 2

Buy

20

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

06:00:PM

REAL LOVERS

LIL NAS X: LONG LIVE MONTERO

95'

English - sott.it.

Buy

LIL NAS X: LONG LIVE MONTERO
by Carlos López, Estrada Zac Manuel

Country: USA, Year: 2023, Duration: 95'

A documentary showcasing the creativity and mesmerising star power of Lil Nas X’s, a Grammy-winning rapper, singer, and songwriter, seen here while preparing for and embarking on his first US headlining tour. We follow him on a personal journey of self-enquiry and self-discovery, as he creates, rehearses, and performs every night in front of legions of devoted fans. A revolutionary artist who, by erasing the boundary between country and hip hop, has invited everyone to participate in his great, luminescent queer celebration of life. It’s as if he were a veteran of the rap scene, but he’s just 25 years old.

20

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

06:15:PM

REAL LOVERS

COMING AROUND

75'

English and Arabic - sott.it./Eng.sub.

Buy

COMING AROUND
by Sandra Itäinen

Country: USA, Year: 2023, Duration: 75'

Eman is 28, a second generation Egyptian-Palestinian woman, raised in Missouri and living in Brooklyn, who has decided to come out to her devout Muslim mother. Although she feels at ease among her queer Muslim friends, she doesn’t know how to behave with her mother. Eman decides to come out of the closet during a car trip. Past, present and future burst into the narration of the two women’s lives, touching on very current themes, that are in some cases considered taboo, such as integration, the confrontation between the West and Islam and homosexuality in the Islamic world.

20

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

06:30:PM

REFLECTIONS IN THE DARK

Reflections in the Dark

Reflections in the Dark Award Ceremony.

Free entry.

20

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

08:00:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

LES TORTUES

(TURTLES)

83'

French - sott.it./Eng.sub.

Special Live Set: BigMama.

Attending: David Lambert, Director.

Buy

LES TORTUES
TURTLES
by David Lambert

Country: Belgium, Year: 2023, Duration: 83'

For Henry, the dream of retirement soon turns sour: his days seem to stretch endlessly ahead and, after being with Thom for 35 years, he feels that their relationship has passed the point of no return and is falling apart. They battle each other in their home as they continue to grow apart, both emotionally and sexually. They no longer have any motivation and their separation is inevitable. But is that what they really want? David Lambert, who is an old friend of our festival, is the director of this intelligent romcom which makes us reflect on the relationship between love and old age.

20

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

08:15:PM

FUTURE LOVERS

Future Lovers - Program 3

Attending: Alessio Vasarin, Una notte's Director and Carlo Ladd, High Noon's Composer.

Buy

20

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

08:30:PM

REAL LOVERS

CE QUI NOUS LIE

(THE BOND BETWEEN US)

68'

French - sott.it./Eng. sub.

Attending: Sonam Larcin, Director.

Buy

CE QUI NOUS LIE
THE BOND BETWEEN US
by Sonam Larcin

Country: Belgium, Year: 2023, Duration: 68'

Sonam has always wanted to start a family, but he is unhappy that he is not able to have children naturally with his boyfriend. So, he realizes that he must get back in touch with his father, who was absent during his childhood, and talk with other couples who have already made the choice to be parents. He will then find out that, when it comes to love and bonds, what we perceive as “natural” has very little to do with biology. This is a deeply touching, first-person story.

20

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

10:00:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

RILEY

93'

English - sott.it.

Buy

RILEY
by Benjamin Howard

Country: USA, Year: 2023, Duration: 93'

Ambitious Dakota Riley begins his last year of high school like most of his peers: in the constant monotony that characterizes adolescence. He has great expectations for the future of his long-term commitment to sport. Dakota lives within precisely defined boundaries, he considers the future as a calculated project, in which he has established the basis of his own identity. But when the reality of that identity is called into question, Dakota is forced to face the consequences of denying his true self or compromising who he really is. One of the best coming-of-age films of the year.

20

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

10:15:PM

LOVERS CELEBRATION

THE SCANDALOUS ADVENTURES OF LORD BYRON

96'

English - sott.it.

Buy

THE SCANDALOUS ADVENTURES OF LORD BYRON
by Michael Waldman

Country: UK, Year: 2009, Duration: 96'

“The first rockstar”, “Crazy, evil and dangerous”. This is how Rupert Everett introduces us to the British romantic poet Lord Byron. Between 1809 and 1810, his daring and eccentric personality led him on a journey from Portugal to Istanbul, through high society gatherings, Turkish baths and brothels. He leaps from one adventure to another, passing from one lover to another, causing scandal with his wild behavior. Ironic and entertaining narrator Rupert Everett accurately recounts Byron’s feats in this episodic, on-the-road period piece produced by Channel 4.

20

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

10:30:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

THE SUMMER WITH CARMEN

106'

Greek - sott.it./Eng.sub.

Attending: Tekemaya.

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THE SUMMER WITH CARMEN
by Zacharias Mavroeidis

Country: Greece, Year: 2023, Duration: 106'

While enjoying the day on a queer beach in Athens, 30-year-old Demosthenes helps Nikitas, his friend and aspiring director, work out the idea behind his film debut: they start from Carmen, a cute little dog whose owner is Demosthenes’ ex. But turning reality into a screenplay is never easy, especially when you hit upon issues you thought were resolved. And the friendship between the two would-be collaborators is taking a new and unexpected direction… Lots of laughs in this biting comedy, presented at the Venice Giornate in 2023.

21

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

10:30:AM

Al cinema col bebe

In collaboration with Famiglie Arcobaleno.

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STRANGE WORLD - UN MONDO MISTERIOSO
by Don Hall, Qui Nguyen

Country: USA, Year: 2022, Duration: 102'

Avalonia, faraway land surrounded by an impervious mountain chain, is dying because of its stillness and its impossibility to grow. Jaeger and Searcher, explorers, father and son, have been trying for years to pass through the mountains. During an expedition, Searcher discovers a mystery plant that is capable of generating electricity. While Jaeger goes on alone to find a way out of the mountains, the son decides to return to Avalonia with the plant, which will become the driving force for the renaissance. After 25 years, the plant’s energy seems to be fading away: it is time for a new adventure!

21

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

02:00:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

WHO'LL STOP THE RAIN

114'

taiwanese - Sott.Ita/ Eng.Sub.

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WHO'LL STOP THE RAIN
by SU I-Hsuan

Country: Taiwan, Year: 2023, Duration: 114'

Taiwan, 1994. The desire for freedom explodes among the students at the School of Fine Arts in Taipei. Conformism and the patriarchal mindset of the principal Yung-shin rule the academy. 19-year-old Chi-wei is actively participating in protests when she finds herself caught up in an erotic love triangle, which involves the movement leader Ching and her boyfriend Kuang, the movement spokesperson. The first feature film by Taiwanese director Su I-hsuan, who, with this political drama recalling 70s Japanese cinema, took part in the Rotterdam International Film Festival and BFI Flare (London LGBT Film Festival).

21

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

02:15:PM

ALL THE LOVERS

LES TORTUES

(TURTLES)

83'

French - sott.it./Eng.sub.

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LES TORTUES
TURTLES
by David Lambert

Country: Belgium, Year: 2023, Duration: 83'

For Henry, the dream of retirement soon turns sour: his days seem to stretch endlessly ahead and, after being with Thom for 35 years, he feels that their relationship has passed the point of no return and is falling apart. They battle each other in their home as they continue to grow apart, both emotionally and sexually. They no longer have any motivation and their separation is inevitable. But is that what they really want? David Lambert, who is an old friend of our festival, is the director of this intelligent romcom which makes us reflect on the relationship between love and old age.

21

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

02:30:PM

FUTURE LOVERS

Future Lovers - Program 1

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21

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

04:00:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

IL MIO POSTO E' QUI

110'

Italian

Attending: Cristiano Bortone and Daniela Porto, Directors.

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IL MIO POSTO E' QUI
by Cristiano Bortone, Daniela Porto

Country: Italy, Year: 2024, Duration: 110'

In the Italian region of Calabria after World War II, where time stands still, two solitary people meet: Marta, a teenage mother whose husband died during the war, now doomed to be forced into another marriage, and Lorenzo, the homosexual warden of the local church. These are two emancipation stories, where the bond between the two characters is as strong as their wish for freedom and for revenge on their oppressors’ prejudices and rules. A painful tale of emancipation, presented at the 2023 Bif&st Festival and awarded prizes for Best Director and Best Leading Actress.

21

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

04:15:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

THROUPLE

90'

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THROUPLE
by Greyson Horst

Country: USA, Year: 2024, Duration: 90'

Michael, a lonely gay singer-songwriter, has lost his enthusiasm and his vocation. An encounter with an uninhibited couple turns into a night of unexpected vulnerability. The couple challenges Michael to open himself up to what he really feels and to write new songs. And Michael rekindle the spark in a marriage that seems to be lost. But his world goes haywire due to some decisions that will change the lives of his loved ones. Michael must decide whether to express his feelings and pursue what he really wants – both in music and in relationships – or to see it slip away.

21

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

04:30:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

HIDDEN MASTER: THE LEGACY OF GEORGE PLATT LYNES

96'

English - sott.it.

In collaboration with Camera, Monica Poggi, Curator.

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HIDDEN MASTER: THE LEGACY OF GEORGE PLATT LYNES
by Sam Shahid

Country: USA, Year: 2023, Duration: 96'

During his life, photographer George Platt Lynes achieved fame thanks to his celebrity portraits and fashion photographs. However, his best artworks and his biggest passion were the explicit male nudes of his lovers, friends, colleagues, dancers, models and any other man he could convince to undress in front of the lens. This profound and fabulously gossipy documentary brings to light this fascinating, complex man who used his good looks, talent and his huge ambition to pursue artistic perfection. And sexual pleasure.

21

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Rondolino

06:15:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

THE JUDGMENT

111'

English

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THE JUDGMENT
by Marwan Mokbel

Country: Egypt, Year: 2023, Duration: 111'

Mo and his boyfriend Hisham return to Egypt from the USA because of a family emergency But they need to pretend they are just friends to protect themselves from the homophobic environment. Mo is anxious and nervous because someone knows his secret, as he finds himself being targeted by witchcraft. Despite pretending to be an atheist and modern, Mo is frightened. He feels as if he is being tormented by judgement day, the god he has hated, his mother, who always rejected him, and his past sins. This will inevitably lead him to face himself: will he be strong enough to stand up and break free?

21

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Soldati

06:30:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

MALANOVA

73'

Italian

Attending: Roberto Cuzzillo, Director.

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MALANOVA
by Roberto Cuzzillo

Country: Italy, Year: 2024, Duration: 73'

Matteo and Riccardo are a close-knit couple who are about to celebrate six months of their relationship. This romantic moment is interrupted by tragic news: Matteo finds out he is HIV positive. From this moment on everything changes: Matteo, depressed and disoriented, shuts himself off from the outside world and from his partner; whereas Riccardo, overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty, refuses to find out his own HIV status. Matteo’s uncle, Enzo, will help the couple to overcome their fears, in order to help himself to accept the ghosts of his own past, which he has never really faced up to.

21

April

Cinema Massimo - Sala Cabiria

08:30:PM

OUT OF COMPETITION

39th Lovers Film festival's Closing Night and Award Ceremony

Attending: Nancy Brilli, Carmen Russo and Enzo Paolo Turchi, Tekemaya, Michael Nevola.

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TE ESTOY AMANDO LOCAMENTE
LOVE & REVOLUTION
by Alejandro Marin

Country: Spain, Year: 2023, Duration: 110'

In the late 1970s Seville, Reme was proud that her son Miguel was the first person in their family to go to university. But what Miguel really wants is to become an artist and sing in a famous TV contest. At a time when homosexuality is a crime, Reme will find out who Miguel’s new friends are: the LGBTQI+ movement of Andalusia, ironically, founded by the Church and harshly opposed by Franco’s government. This painful and compelling story of the foundation of LGBTQI+ activism in Spain was acclaimed by critics as the beginning of Iberian Pride.

39° LFF

Program

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