A lot of big names will be showing up to the Rome film festival this year including Scottish actor, Ewan Mcgregor [2] and American actress, Jennifer Connelly [3]. Opening the 10 day long fest, the award-winning actors will both be promoting their new highly anticipated film, American Pastoral [4]. It is based on a novel of the same name written by Philip Roth which won the Pulitzer Prize back in 1998. The film takes place in post-war America and demonstrates how a man’s picture perfect life unravels and comes to ruins due to the social and political unrest at the time. The screening of American Pastoral has been a long awaited event by the public especially because it serves as Mcgregor’s directorial debut.

Some other interesting films that will be screening at the festival include In guerra per amore [5] by Pierfrancesco Diliberto, or better known as Pif [6], which is about a love affair with a World War II backdrop. Movie buffs everywhere are looking forward to Pif’s second work, since his first film The Mafia Kills Only in Summer [7] that came out in 2013 turned out to be a huge critically acclaimed success. Also making an appearance is the new animated film that is great for the entire family, Storks. In the Italian version, the voices of Alessia Marcuzzi, Federico Russo, and Vincenzo Salemme tell the story of an unauthorized baby girl and the discovery of the true value of family.

Other Hollywood stars like Tom Hanks [8], Meryl Streep [8], and Viggo Mortensen [9] will get up close and personal with the audience for featured talks in a segment called Close Encounters. On stage, they will share their personal experiences with the crowd and comment on the particular films that made them who they are today. Tom Hanks will also be given a special lifetime achievement award and is scheduled to have a public conversation with the artistic director of the entire fest, the very talented Antonio Monda. 

The innovative Italian singer-songerwriter, Lorenzo Jovanotti Cherubini [10], will also be there in a segment called “Images, Music, and Words.” His songs have been featured in so many popular movies so Jovanotti is no stranger to cinema. He will be explaining to the crowd the strong influence visuals have on his writing and music and how he has a profound love and respect for filmmaking. So if you lucky enough to find yourself in Italy in mid-October be sure to check out the Rome Film Fest and all the great events it has to offer!