2772 News Scoop for Italy Mag.

Last night at dinner with Italian friends, conversation turned to politics and one chap used Roberto Benigni as an example of someone who talks for the left until the moment of truth (i.e. election time) and then flip flops to the right. You see RB is a native of our town and the locals keep him under close scrutiny.

Anyhow this got me thinking of two things:

The first, something that was posted on this forum by Big Johnny:
[I]After 20+ years of living here and watching the changes I am still amazed at how many people speak with the right and then vote with the left.[/I]

180° removed from what my friend said but perhaps the two cancel each other out.

The second, a question asked of me by an English friend after returning from the recent Berlinale: "what is going on in the Italian film industry ... I have never seen such a big presence by them?"

At the time all I could proffer was that the director of the Venice Film Festival has a German sounding name :D but now I am wondering if there hasn't been some behind the scenes cosying up between Berlu and Beni.

John - is this a scoop or was it reportred in Panorama months ago?