A Refreshing Ensemble of Italy's Finest Cast and Students

Director Giuseppe Piccioni, known for films like the hit "The Best of Youth" which explore dramas born from human encounters, was inspired by the essay "In a Roman Classroom: My Days with the Students" (scheduled for publication in August by Shobunsha) by Marco Lodoli, a writer who taught for over 30 years in a Roman high school. This inspiration led to the film adaptation, "A Class in Rome ~Our Good Days~."

Screened to acclaim at the "2013 Italian Film Festival" held last Golden Week, this film features the talented actress Margherita Buy, who also appeared in Piccioni's "The Best of Youth," as the female principal, Giuliana. Riccardo Scamarcio, a popular young actor known for "Pasta and Basta" and "To Rome with Love," plays the passionate assistant Italian teacher, and veteran actor Roberto Herlitzka portrays the elderly teacher Fiorito. This gathering of leading figures from the Italian film industry creates a refreshing ensemble with the vibrant performances of the students.

Discoveries and Surprises Found in Interactions with Students

In a public high school in Rome, Principal Giuliana believes that "teachers should only focus on education within the school." As the second semester begins, the enthusiastic young teacher Giovanni arrives as an assistant Italian teacher, determined to "motivate the students!" Meanwhile, the elderly art history teacher Fiorito, having lost his passion for education and lamenting that "students are all empty-headed," isolates himself from other faculty.

These three individuals, with their vastly different approaches and experiences, become involved in the second semester with students who are challenging in their own ways: a boy whose mother has disappeared and has no other relatives, a girl with behavioral issues, and a woman who appears uninvited as a former student. As the second semester draws to a close, the three teachers are each faced with a choice.—

The discoveries and surprises the three teachers experience through their interactions with the students. This human drama, where lively classroom episodes blend with Piccioni's assured insight and poetic direction, blows a refreshing breeze through the heart.



"A Class in Rome ~Our Good Days~"
Opening August 23 (Saturday) at Iwanami Hall and other theaters nationwide
Director & Screenplay | Giuseppe Piccioni
Starring | Margherita Buy, Riccardo Scamarcio, Roberto Herlitzka, Lucia Mascino
Distribution | Crest International
2012 / Italy / 101 min
http://www.roma-kyoshitsu.com
© 2011 BiancaFilm