Festival Schedule:

April 5, 2024

7:00 p.m: Perfetti Sconosciuti

di Paolo Genovese

Ognuno di noi ha tre vite: una pubblica, una privata ed una segreta. Un tempo quella segreta era ben protetta nell’archivio della nostra memoria, oggi nelle nostre sim. Cosa succederebbe se quella minuscola schedina si mettesse a parlare? Una brillante commedia sull’amicizia, sull’amore e sul tradimento, che porterà sette amici a confrontarsi e a scoprire di essere “Perfetti sconosciuti”.

Location: Brown Hall 100, Washington University

April 6, 2024

7:30 p.m: Kidnapped

By Marco Bellocchio

In 1858, in the Jewish quarter of Bologna, the Pope's soldiers burst into the home of the Mortara family. By order of the cardinal, they came to get Edgardo, their seven-year-old son. According to a maid’s statement, she had believed the then six-month old child to be on the verge of death and had secretly baptized him. The papal law is unquestionable: he is Catholic and must receive a Catholic education. Edgardo's parents, distraught, will do anything to get their son back. Supported by public opinion and the international Jewish community, the Mortara’s battle soon took on a political dimension. But the Pope did not agree to return the child. While Edgardo grew up in the Catholic faith, the temporal power of the Church was declining.

Based on the book Il caso Mortara by Daniele Scalise.

Location: Brown Hall 100, Washington University

April 12, 2024

7:00 p.m: Zamora

By Neri Marcore

Walter, an accountant at heart and on the job, is forced to transfer from his small town and take a position in a Milan company. The owner, who is passionate about soccer, makes his employees engage in weekly soccer games. Walter, who doesn’t like soccer, offers to be the goalie. But he allows too many goals and his colleagues rename him “Zamora”, sarcastically comparing him to the great Spanish goalkeeper of the 1930s. Feeling betrayed and embarrassed in front of a love interest, Walter devises an original plan to take revenge! Can he succeed?

Based on the book by Roberto Perrone

Location: Brown Hall 100, Washington University

April 13, 2024

5:00 p.m: Winter Lemons

By Caterina Carone

Thanks to the proximity of their respective terraces, two strangers struggling with their gardening activities begin to weave a profound dialogue, which helps them alleviate the pain of something serious, a secret, which each of the two tries to hide from themselves and from others. In that sort of limbo suspended between earth and sky, far from the speed of the city, Pietro and Eleonora teach each other to follow their hearts, to still believe in the "possibility of being happy".

7:30 p.m: Thank You Guys

By Riccardo Milani

Antonio is a passionate but often unemployed actor. Faced with a lack of job offers, he accepts a job as a teacher of a theater workshop in a penitentiary institution. Hesitant at first, he discovers talent in the unlikely company of prisoners and this rekindles his passion and desire to do theatre. Antonio manages to convince the prison director to stage Samuel Beckett's famous play Waiting for Godot on a real theater stage. Day after day the inmates let themselves go, discovering the liberating power of art and its ability to give purpose and hope beyond expectation.

When the final green light arrives, will the tour be successful?

Location: Brown Hall 100, Washington University

April 21, 2024

3:00 p.m: Short Film Program

Eight recent short films will be presented in one short film program lasting approximately 110 minutes. Each short is preceded by a director video. The audience will vote on their favorite short favorite short.

- Eternal Rest
- The Sea That Moves Things
- Lost Traces
- Sky(pe)
- Just As Well
- Ignoti
- The Snow Will Cover All Things
- Lisianthus

Location: Chemistry Lecture Hall, 1136, Science East Building, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville

April 26, 2024

7:00 p.m: The De Filippo Siblings

By Sergio Rubini

It is the beginning of the twentieth century, the three siblings Peppino, Titina and Eduardo, live with their beautiful young mother, Luisa De Filippo. There is no father in the family, or rather he hides in the role of "uncle" Eduardo Scarpetta, the most famous, richest and acclaimed actor and playwright of his time. Scarpetta, although not recognizing his three natural children, introduced them to the world of theater from an early age. Upon the death of the great actor, his legitimate children divide his inheritance, while Titina, Eduardo and Peppino receive nothing. To the three young people, however, "uncle" Scarpetta passed on a special gift, his great talent, which however did not fall to his legitimate son Vincenzo, also an actor and playwright, who became the owner of his father's company. The redemption from the painful family history passes through the formation of the De Filippo trio, a dream cherished for years by Eduardo and his brothers and finally realized, overcoming difficulties and conflicts. The De Filippo story is that of a family wound that is transformed into art. And of three young people, who, by joining forces, give life to a completely new way of portraying reality with a gaze that reaches into the future.

Location: Wrighton Hall 300, Washington University

April 27, 2024

5:00 p.m: Billy

By Emilia Mazzacurati

Billy was a child prodigy who invented and hosted a successful music podcast at nine years old. He is now 19 years old, lives with his eccentric mother, is secretly in love with a girl and doesn't know what to do with his life. A meeting with his childhood idol, a rocker who has been missing for years, will lead him to find a new way to face the future. But what we desire so much doesn't always go as we would like.

7:30 p.m: Romeo is Juliet

By Giovanni Veronesi

Young actress Vittoria is humiliated by a director during an audition for the role of Juliet and decides to try again under a false identity: she becomes Otto and performs as Romeo.

Location: Wrighton Hall 300, Washington University

May 10, 2024

7:00 p.m: Bad Conscience

By Davide Minnella

Filippo is a classic “good guy”, faithful fiancé to Luisa, an ethical lawyer, and a generous man. Is it possible to be so perfect? Yes, if you have a conscience like Otto that controls your every move. One day, however, Otto arrives late at his workstation in the "Other World" and discovers that, in a few minutes, Filippo has turned his entire life upside down. In that short time, he met Valentina, a beautiful woman; he risks ruining his wedding plans and his reputation as a good guy. Otto is in trouble, and he must fix things!

Location: Meramec Theatre, St. Louis Community College

Fest Date: April 5 - May 10, 2024

Locations:
Washington University Brown Hall 100, 6350 Forsyth Blvd., Saint Louis, MO 63105
Washington University Wrighton Hall 300, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63123
St. Louis Community College - Meramec Theatre, 11333 Big Bend Road, Saint Louis, MO 63122

Click here for more information.