Films I saw in July at Il Cinema Ritrovato, Bologna

1896: Cinema anno uno - Lumière!

PROGRAMMA 1: LA BELLEZZA DEI FILM LUMIÈRE

Apertura ufficiale del Festival

Documenti e Documentari

VOYAGE À TRAVERS LE CINÉMA FRANÇAIS

(Francia/2016) R.: Bertrand Tavernier. D.: 195’. V. francese

Introduce Bertrand Tavernier, in presenza dei produttori

Jérôme Seydoux (Pathé) e Nicolas Seydoux (Gaumont)

Jacques Becker – L’idea stessa di libertà

(Replica sabato 2 ore 18.00)

Progetto Chaplin

MODERN TIMES (Tempi moderni, USA/1936)

R.: Charles Chaplin. D.: 87’. Did. inglesi

Musica composta da Charles Chaplin, restaurata e diretta da

Timothy Brock ed eseguita dall’Orchestra del Teatro Comunale

di Bologna

Introducono Gian Luca Farinelli e Kate Guyonvarch

Serata sostenuta da Carisbo

(In caso di pioggia, la proiezione si sposterà al Teatro Comunale, Largo Respighi 1)

The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project

(Replica mercoledì 29 ore 18.30)

MEMORIAS DEL SUBDESARROLLO

(Memorie del sottosviluppo, Cuba/1968)

R.: Tomás Gutiérrez Alea. D.: 97’. V. castigliana

Technicolor & Co. - Vintage Print

MARNIE (USA/1964) R.: Alfred Hitchcock. D.: 130’. V. inglese

Precede - Technicolor & Co - film dipinti sulla pellicola

Frénésie (Francia/1955) R.: Albert Pierru. D.: 2’

1896: Cinema anno uno - Lumière!

PROGRAMMA 4:

MUSEI DELL’ATTIMO PRESENTE – ATTUALITÀ

Omaggio a Marlon Brando

(Replica giovedì 30 ore 9.00 Arlecchino)

ONE-EYED JACKS (I due volti della vendetta, USA/1961)

R.: Marlon Brando. D.: 141’. V. inglese

Introduce Margaret Bodde (The Film Foundation)

Serata sostenuta da Mare Termale Bolognese

(In caso di pioggia, la proiezione si sposterà al Cinema Arlecchino)

The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project

(Replica mercoledì 29 ore 21.45)

TAIPEI STORY (Taiwan/1985)

R.: Edward Yang. D.: 119’. V. taiwanese

Introduce Nicola Mazzanti

Golestan Film Studio, tra poesia e politica

(Replica venerdì 1 ore 9)

KHESHT O AYENEH (Brick and Mirror, Iran/1963-64)

R.: Ebrahim Golestan. D.: 130’. V. farsi

Introduce Ebrahim Golestan

Jacques Becker – L’idea stessa di libertà

(Replica giovedì 30 ore 18.30)

TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI (Grisbi, Francia-Italia/1954)

R.: Jacques Becker. D.: 96’. V. francese

Un’altra storia del cinema argentino

(Replica venerdì 1 ore 16.45)

THE PLAYERS vs. ÁNGELES CAÍDOS

(Argentina/1968) R.: Alberto Fischerman. D.: 84’. V. spagnola

The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project

(Replica venerdì 1 ore 21.45)

RAID INTO TIBET

(GB/1966) R.: Adrian Cowell. D.: 28’. V. inglese e tibetana

BUDDHISM IN TIBET

(GB/1966) R.: Adrian Cowell. D.: 25’. V. inglese

Introduce Tenzin Phuntsog (Tibet Film Archive)

Technicolor & Co. - Vintage Print

THE BAND WAGON

(USA/1953) R.: Vincente Minnelli. D.: 111’. V. inglese

Copia 35mm Technicolor proveniente dalla collezione personale

di Martin Scorsese. Introduce Ian Christie

Serata sostenuta da Aeroporto di Bologna

(In caso di pioggia, la proiezione si sposterà al Cinema Arlecchino e sostituirà

la replica serale

Universal Pictures: gli anni di Laemmle Junior

(Replica giovedì 30 ore 10.00)

THE KISS BEFORE THE MIRROR

(Il bacio davanti allo specchio, USA/1933)

Un’altra storia del cinema argentino

MÁS ALLÁ DEL OLVIDO (Beyond Oblivion, Argentina/1955)

R.: Hugo del Carril. D.: 93’. V. spagnola

Jacques Becker – L’idea stessa di libertà

CASQUE D’OR (Casco d’oro, Francia/1952)

R.: Jacques Becker. D.: 96’. V. francese
Serge Reggiani, Simone Signoret

Progetto Keaton

THE HIGH SIGN (Tiro a segno, USA/1921)

R.: Buster Keaton, Eddie Cline. D.: 21’. Did. inglesi

Musica composta da Donald Sosin

COPS (Poliziotti, USA/1922)

R.: Buster Keaton, Eddie Cline. D.: 20’. Did. inglesi

Musica composta da Timothy Brock

Mario Soldati, uno scrittore a Cinecittà

Il ventaglino (ep. di Questa è la vita)

(Italia/1953) R.: Mario Soldati. D.: 14’. V. italiana

LA PROVINCIALE (The Wayward Wife, Italia/1953)

R.: Mario Soldati. D.: 115’. V. italiana
Gina Lollobrigida

Ritrovati e Restaurati

A WOMAN OF THE WORLD

(USA/1925) R.: Malcolm St. Clair. D.: 70’. Did. inglesi

Accompagnamento al piano di Donald Sosin

Introduce Andrea Kalas (Paramount)
Pola Negri

JRitrovati e Restaurati

QUAI DES ORFÈVRES (Legittima difesa, Francia/1947)

R.: Henri-Georges Clouzot. D.: 106’. V. francese

Introduce Sophie Kopaczynski (Studiocanal)

(In caso di pioggia, la proiezione si sposterà al Cinema Arlecchino e sostituirà

la replica serale)

Jacques Becker – L’idea stessa di libertà

LE TROU (Il buco, Francia/1960)

R.: Jacques Becker. D.: 120’. V. francese

Introduce il regista Jean Becker, figlio di Jacques
acques Becker – L’idea stessa di libertà

MONTPARNASSE 19

(Les Amants de Montparnasse, Francia/1958)

R.: Jacques Becker. D.: 104’. V. francese
Gerard Philipe, Anouk Aimee

Profile in the Palisadian News

Link to article in the Palisadian News, July 6, 2016: 

Palisadian Author Mancuso Writes Hudson in Provence

Reinstating the Aïoli

“Relever l’aïoli.”

I am a confident cook, fearless when it comes to trying new things. Sometimes too fearless. And, as a painter, prone to improvise.

At the end of a day spent working around the house, we walked to the local market under moody slate grey skies, a pungent salty smell in the air. A handful of chairs and a bride and groom posing for photographers on the beach in front of Gladstone’s. A wedding!
The fish department didn’t have cod, but they had fresh rockfish. We chose fresh green beans and carrots to go with it.

Back home we steamed the carrots with thyme from the garden, then the green beans, and the rockfish. Sliced some heirlooms. Followed the directions for the aïoli. Put the smashed garlic, salt and yolk in the cup. The immersion blender hardly touched it. Started dribbling in the oil. It was looking more like vinaigrette than mayonnaise. Transferred to a small bowl and whisked by hand but it still wasn’t emulsifying.

Remembered my copy of "Simple French Food" and found on p. 137, instructions for “reinstating the aïoli" ("relever l'aïoli"). Started anew with another egg yolk, lemon juice and added the “unsuccessful” aïoli little by little. This time I tried  the food processor. Slightly thicker, but still a sauce. Ever hopeful, I put it in a gravy boat and poured. Nope.

Finally I surrendered. It was clearly time to fake the aioli. Put some best foods in a small bowl and beat in a few cloves of pressed garlic. Result? Not great, but it wasn’t the worst dinner ever. Still a lovely evening with a couple of glasses of rosé, a goofy French variety show, Les Années de Bonheur, on tv5 and a husband who knows that my culinary adventurousness sometimes backfires. I’ll be working on my mayonnaise. And might try a mortar and pestle next time, like the ones I saw on youtube.

I took some solace in this quote from Richard Olney, “There are many who believe a healthy dose of imagination is all that one need bring to the kitchen. The cacophonous results are in quite the same spirit as the poignant failures of the liberated artist.” 

Visiting Provence with Kids

It was my great pleasure to share my favorite places in Provence with Laura who writes the fabulous French inspired blog hudsonandseine. 

Oh my…I haven’t posted in a while

I didn’t realize it’d been so long since I’d posted here. I have been posting paintings on instagram, and working on some new manuscript ideas. 

I googled Paris-Chien yesterday and found two reviews I hadn’t seen before. Always a nice boost.

The first was a post about 36 Hours in Paris on the blog The Neo-Trad about a visit to Shakespeare and Company in Paris.

The next review was on the blog Kids Books Without Borders.  

"The purpose of Kid’s Books Without Borders is to send books to families living overseas who have little or no access to bookstores or libraries with children’s books in English. My desire is to encourage these families by providing, free of charge, quality books for overseas families to read to their children and for their children to enjoy reading independently."

BRAVO! And my favorite part of the review: "I also appreciate that the author paints a diverse picture of Paris, with people of different ethnicities and cultures.”

painting a day on Instagram

I started a painting a day project in late October on Instagram. The goal is to sketch or paint for 30 minutes and post the piece whether or not it meets my expectations. Sometimes I take a few minutes longer, and sometimes the sketch takes only 10 minutes.

My original intention was to develop more discipline. I'm also learning that the best work is often done on the worst paper, when I'm not trying to "get it right"; my favorites are not necessarily the ones that get the most "likes"; and things I thought would be "too hard" are not. 

I invite you to follow me at @jackieclarkmancuso.

There's a new blog in town

And we like the way they think.

hudsonandseine.com

What's your favorite flavor?

That's parfum in french. In Paris it's gotta be chocolat du mendiant from Berthillon for me, but no chocolate for Hudson or any other dog!

Films seen in October

I must be forgetting something...

• SALT OF THE EARTH (2014, Wim Wenders)
• RIDICULE (1996, Patrice Leconte)
• WANDA (1970, Barbara Loden)
• NEWS FROM HOME (1977, Chantal Akerman)
• IRIS (2014, Maysles)
• THE GENERAL (1927, Bruckman)
• CLEO FROM 5 TO 7 (1962, Varda) trailer
• SOMETHING BETTER TO COME (2014, Hanna Polak)

Mastering the Art of Tuesday Dinner with Ann Mah...

When I heard about Mastering the Art of French Eating, a book about my favorite subjects—moving to Paris and French food—this Francophile could not resist. I tried very hard to make it last by reading just one chapter a day. Not easy, because Ann Mah is a gifted and witty writer.

In each chapter Ann visits a different region in France to learn about and make the area's signature dish, like the Soupe au Pistou she helps prepare with the local Bonnieulaises at the village soup fête. She interweaves history, culture, an amusing cast of characters, lots more recipes and, oh, adjusting to her new life in Paris.  

Hungry for more, I found Ann's debut novel, Kitchen Chinese, at my local library. After getting fired from her magazine job in NYC, Isabelle, an American-born Chinese writer nearing thirty, moves to Beijing and lands a job as a food critic for an English-language magazine. There’s romance, sibling rivalry, and lots of meals. The mouth-watering descriptions made me nostalgic for my trip to Beijing and Shanghai. Despite a sore throat that started on the plane and got much worse, I was determined to try every exotic dish that was put in front of me. And I did. Eventually ending up spending an evening in the People's 6th Hospital in Shanghai on an IV drip. That’s an attraction most tourists will never see. But it was worth it. And so is the book!

When I discovered Ann's blog, ANN MAH, Adventures in Food, France and Beyond, I devoured that too. Imagine how excited I was when Ann invited me to share a Tuesday Dinner recipe on the blog. 

Cherry Tomato Pasta with Breadcrumbs

Breakfast at Shanghai International Center of Educational Exchange

I Love getting Lost in Arles

I love getting Lost in Arles. Or rather, I love getting an alert that Heather has posted another beautifully written and photographed essay on her blog, Lost in Arles.

Heather Robinson's poetic use of imagery and text elevates the blog to an art form. I've discovered new things about myself by getting Lost in Arles. You might too.

I wrote her a fan letter and told her about my new book, which takes place in Provence. Heather kindly offered to promote it with a giveaway. Of all the reviews of Hudson in Provence, Heather's is my very favorite!

"Try and resist the charm of this book. Go ahead, try. See? I told you it was impossible (French-accent required)...and that is only the cover!" 

Lavender and Gold Dessert Plate

Saw this beautiful plate in a magazine and looked it up. At $175. for a dessert plate, I can only afford to paint it. Royal Crown Derby "Darley Abbey Harlequin Dessert Plate."

Films seen in September*

Die Nibelungen
Les Petites Amoreuses
Spotlight
Rams
Ixcanul
Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom
Siti + Cinema
Black Mass
L'Inhumaine
Room
Beasts of No Nation
Marguerite
Carol
East of Eden
Short Term 12

*Includes Telluride Film Festival