Ferragosto is the must have fun summer holiday in Italy. The country is virtually shut down during the days before and after the 15th of August everyone is on holiday and all business activities are stopped.
The Assumption of the Virgin Mary is celebrated all over the country, in certain towns and cities processions and solemn masses are held, in other areas is simply about a big day out by the seaside or in the countryside followed by impressive fireworks. Italians go for their annual "scampagnata" a big picnic with friends and families, they
simply must have fun!
Last year a wonderful movie regarding this 15th of August frenzy was presented at the Venice Film Festival, this is Gianni di Gregorio’s “Pranzo di Ferragosto“, winner of the “Future Golden Lion” in Venice and Satyajit Ray Award at the London Film Festival in 2008.
This is the story of Gianni (di Gregorio) who is a man in his sixties still living with his elderly mother in a Rome apartment. He has money problems and hasn’t paid the rent or apartment block fees for a few months. The adminstrator, knocks on his door on teh 14th of August suggesting a solution, he would cancel some of this debts if Gianni hosts his mother for Ferragosto lunch while he goes celebrating with the rest of his family. Obliged to accept, Gianni finds himself hosting not only the administrator’s mother, but also his aunt maria and the mother of his doctor who was on duty at the hospital for the day. The night and the morning go by with the four elderly ladies to babysit.
Gianni Di Gregorio is one of Matteo Garrone’s collaborators, who produced the film. He was a producer of the famous film Gomorra and his Pranzo di Ferragosto is a rare example of sophisticated Italian comedy with excellent acting.
If you are not out and about for this Ferragosto rent this film and laugh your hearts out.
