Editor

The first time in Hollywood for the new 'young offspring' of Italian Cinema, Carlo Nero, Riccardo Scamarcio, Paolo Sorrentino, Fausto Brizzi and Daniele Liotti is going to take place under the honorable presence of Vanessa Redgrave at the opening night of 'Los Angeles, Italia - Film Fashion and Art Fest' on Sunday February 18th.
The legendary British actress (Academy Award® Winner in 1978 for 'Julia' directed by Fred Zinnermann) is going to attend the special screening of 'The Fever' -on Sunday Feb 18 - 7pm - in which she stars, directed by her son Carlo Gabriel Nero (from her previous marriage to Franco Nero).
'The Fever' is going to open a series of films that feature new and upcoming italian filmmakers. Among these the festival is scheduled to screen three movies featuring Riccardo Scamarcio, new idol of italian teenagers. These movies are 'Texas' directed by Fausto Paravidino, 'Romanzo Criminale' ('Crime Novel') directed by Michele Placido and 'Tre metri sopra il cielo' ('Three Steps Over Heaven') directed by Luca Lucini, soon to be followed by the sequel 'Ho voglia di te', both based on best seller novels written by Federico Moccia.

Director Paolo Sorrentino from Naples will also have three of his works in the screenings program. These are 'L'uomo in più' ('One Man Up'), 'L'amico di famiglia' ('The Family Friend') and 'Le conseguenze dell'amore' ('The Consequences of love'), winner of several awards.

Fausto Brizzi is going to premiere his new movie 'Notte prima degli esami - Oggi' ('Night before the finals - Today'), scheduled to be released in Italy on Valentine's Day.
The director and his leading actress Carolina Crescentini are scheduled to appear at the long anticipated screening at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

Last but not least, Daniele Liotti, along with cast members Dolph Lundgren and Monica Cruz, director Giulio Base and young composer Andrea Morricone (son of famous composer Ennio Morricone, Academy Honorary Award® recipient for 2007) is scheduled to appear at the World Premiere of 'L'inchiesta' ('The Inquiry'), a remake of the successful TV movie directed by Damiano Damiani about the Roman tribune sent to Palestine to investigate the death of Jesus Christ.

The 2nd Annual “LOS ANGELES, ITALIA” FILM, FASHION AND ART FESTIVAL” (www.losangelesitalia.com) is produced by the Capri in the World Institute with the support of the Film Department at the Italian Ministry of Culture and the National Italian American Foundation, in collaboration with the Casinò di Venezia, Fiuggi Mineral Water, the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts and Cim Group-USA (the financial group that owns the most historic structures of world cinema) and the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles.

The weeklong event will be inaugurated by Mario Monicelli’s classic 'I Soliti Ignoti' also known as “Big Deal on Madonna Street”, on Sunday February 18th - 3pm.
Following will be the Los Angeles premiere of 'Volevo solo vivere' (“I Only Wanted to Live”) directed by Mimmo Calopresti featuring some of the italian-jewish survivors of the Holocaust (co-produced by Setevn Spielberg and USC Shoah Foundation)

The screenwriter and director Bobby Moresco (Academy Award-winner for the screenplay of "Crash" with Paul Haggis) will be the Chairman of the Festival.
There will be special screenings of contemporary works, as well as cult films by our most popular filmmakers, encounters with many of the key players in the film and television industry in town for the Academy Awards, conferences with students at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, performances and exhibits featuring award-winning costumes offered free of charge to the public and press, food tastings and conferences about regional cuisine at our Italian VIP Lounge at Trastevere Restaurant in the Hollywood & Highland Center, award ceremonies for "Friends of the Italian Arts", and, to end with a bang, the Gran Gala of the American Film Institute on Thursday, February 22nd honoring the Italian American Jack Valenti (longtime president of the Motion Picture Association of America).
All of these events compile the intense program of the 2007 edition of "Los Angeles, Italia", which will give ample visibility to the excellence of the Italian peninsula in the most heightened moment of the international showbusiness community, just few hours away from the awarding of the 2007 Oscars®.

In anticipation of the Academy Awards®, there will also be a special homage to upcoming Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Ennio Morricone, including screenings of his Academy Award®-nominated films. There will also be an homage to Milena Canonero, a favorite for the Best Costumes Award for "Marie Antoinette", as well as the city of Venice (curated by the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia - National Cinematheque), with screenings and a photographic exhibit of stills from some of the most important films in the history of cinema.