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L'Agrodolce Vita (The Bittersweet Life) Lingua inglese con sottotitoli in italiano

Lo spirito di Fellini si sporge maliziosamente da dietro l’angolo di ogni fotogramma in questo affettuoso omaggio in cui il Maestro si materializza al giovane regista di una soap opera ambientata sulla costa dell’Inghilterra.

Questa storia un po’ pazza, intrisa di una caustica comicità, in cui sogni e delusioni, vecchie glorie e ostinate illusioni si inseguono e si intrecciano alla politica sessuale di una melodrammatica soap opera, profuma un po’ di Commedia dell’arte e un po’ di pantomima britannica alla Punch & Judy, ed è condita da accenni nostalgici romani e volti felliniani, nonché da una sana dose di licenziosa comicità tutta britannica. L’eroe riminese viene evocato assieme alle sue baroccheggianti ossessioni in questa folle favola surreale, comica e sentimentale a un tempo, che altro non è se non un inno al regista italiano che veniva chiamato Il Mago. Accompagnato dalla suggestiva colonna sonora originale (che comprende fra l’altro la canzone Ruby tratta da Toby Dammit di Fellini e l’intramontabile ballata Three Coins in the Fountain, tributo all’emblematica fontana di Trevi de La dolce vita), il film include un cast fenomenale di star della TV e del cinema britannici, abbinato a una compagnia degna di Cinecittà, fatta di amici e parenti del regista oltre a... un paio di strani pesci! Girato interamente su Super-8, 16mm e Super-16, L’Agrodolce Vita è il terzo cortometraggio in cui l’artista inglese Nick Hugh McCann si cimenta nel ruolo di regista e sceneggiatore. Questa versione “Director’s Cut” del 2020 vuole commemorare il centenario della nascita di Fellini con una presentazione personale, eseguita in lockdown secondo tutte le regole del distanziamento sociale, da parte di McCann, regista dichiaratamente appassionato di Fellini e dell’Italia.

  • Nick Hugh McCann
    Director
    The Heart of Shelley, Byron's Mine
  • Nick Hugh McCann
    Writer
    The Heart of Shelley, Byron's Mine
  • Ian Vasey
    Producer
    The Heart of Shelley, Byron's Mine
  • Roy Hudd
    Key Cast
    "Herb"
    The News Huddlines, Coronation Street
  • Eve Ferrett
    Key Cast
    "Ruby Starr"
    Absolute Beginners, Haunted Honeymoon
  • Padraig Casey
    Key Cast
    "Rich, the Director"
    The Courier with Gabriel Byrne
  • Malcolm Tierney
    Key Cast
    "Max, the Producer"
    Lovejoy, Star Wars, Braveheart
  • Mary Tamm
    Key Cast
    "Trish, the Soap Diva"
    Doctor Who
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    L'Agrodolce Vita
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    28 minutes 5 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 30, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    70,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    Italy, United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Super-16mm, 16mm, Super-8mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16.9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Paris Art Film Festival (as 'The Sweet Life')
    Paris
    France
    1999
    Prix Histoire et Cinema
  • Cannes Film Festival BAFTA North Screening (as 'The Sweet Life')
    Cannes
    France
    May 1999
    BAFTA North Screening
  • Cork Film Festival (as 'The Sweet Life')
  • 2020 - The 74th International Salerno Film Festival
    Salerno
    Italy
    December 13, 2020
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Oregon Short Film Festival
    Oregon
    United States
    December 15, 2020
    Official Selection
Distribution Information
  • ITV
    Sales Agent
    Country: United Kingdom
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Nick Hugh McCann

Nick Hugh McCann graduated from The Slade School of Fine Art, where his tutor was performance artist Stuart Brisley. Alan Yentob gave him his first job at the BBC on Barry Norman's 'Film 80' as a film editor. He went on to endure spells on soap operas such as Brookside, Crossroads and The Bill, but continued to paint. His research into the life of Byron and Shelley led him to Italy, and his affection for the country grew – leading to his multi award-winning short 'The Heart of Shelley' on the Romantic Poet's death and cremation at Viareggio in 1822. His painting work informs his films that often use history, art and humour. He is the only person (still alive) to have swum the length of the Grand Canal from the Lido in Venice in 1988 in emulation of Lord Byron in 1819. His current project is an outrageous satirical vampire appeal presented by the late, great, controversial, London art critic Brian Sewell.

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Director Statement

2020 was the 100th anniversary of arguably Italy's most celebrated and honoured film director, Federico Fellini. I love his riotous self-indulgence, unashamed sentimentality and baroque obsession with boobs and bums. My little homage to the Rococo Rimini Maestro is set at the English seaside, with a cast of British film and TV greats, and a heavy dose of autobiography.