Coppola, Basilicata and the future (of cinema)

Francis Ford Coppola wears Basilicata like a suit. A passion he got from his grandfather Agostino who in 1904, at 20 years or so, took a boat for Ellis Island. He left Bernalda, a village of 6,000, thirty km from Matera, to meet his brothers who had left before him to seek fortune in America. He did not know then that his children and grandchildren were to become the most famous Italian Americans in the world. Maybe in his luggage he found some place for cruschi tomatoes, dry sausage and Matera bread, but he certainly never stopped dreaming of the scents and sounds of his land. A place that, 100 years on, the Coppola family still calls home.

An image of Bernalda, the village of origin of the Coppolas.

On all this the director of The Godfather, Apocalypse now, The Conversation, Rumble Fish, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, built his life as a man and artist. On Monday 26 October Teatro Dal Verme (via San Giovanni sul Muro 2) will host the meeting – promoted by Regione Basilicata in partnership with Matera 2019, Lucana Film Commission, Meet the Media Guru and in collaboration with APT Basilicata and Palazzo Margherita – that will bring us face to face with the 6 Academy Award winner in a conversation about past, future, memories, dreams and ambitions.

During this outstanding event tradition and innovation found common ground: Basilicata, a marvellous land where ancestral rituals and modernity coexist, will be the thematic springboard for Coppola, a son of this land and master who, more than anyone else, managed to keep an eye on the past and one on the future, as he demonstrated all along his career. The cinema guru and superstar proved his versatility in terms of genre and mood; he won multiple awards as a playwright and as a director, being the true master of storytelling he is (way before the word became as fashionable as it is today).

During the meeting, which certainly has in store a few surprises, FFC will offer a journey on the steps of his grandfather Agostino, a pivotal figure in the family saga, to whom a 2007 shortNelle scarpe di mio padre by Michele Coppola (Francis’ cousin) was dedicated. Blending personal memories and creative and entrepreneurial challenges, the director will also comment on the future of cinema: «Many said: “3D is the future of cinema” – told Coppola in a recent interview – I had always believed the opposite. His future rests on three different categories: screenplays, documentaries and digital technology».

The evening of 26 October will be very special, as it follows the line drawn by past MtMG events, such as those featuring John Lasseter, Egdar Morin and Zygmunt Bauman. The open discussion event had the city meet a great master of contemporary culture. Admission is free until all seats will be assigned – upon reservation.

The event with Francis Ford Coppola “Back to my roots to encounter the future: my Basilicata” was promoted by Regione Basilicata in partnership con Matera 2019, Lucana Film Commission, Meet the Media Guru and with the collaboration of APT Basilicata and Palazzo Margherita. The initiative is held under the patronage of Milan Metropolitan City and the support of the City of Matera. The event is part of the Expo in Città programme.