A full house packed the Quad Cinema in New York last night for the screening of Sotto le Nuvole, Gianfranco Rosi’s documentary presented by the “Italy On Screen Today New York” Festival, directed by Loredana Commonara.
In the heart of Gramercy Park, every seat was taken within moments of the doors opening. A long line stretched outside, with many hoping until the last minute to claim an empty seat, setting the tone for a special New York evening with Vesuvius as the film’s imposing protagonist.
The documentary was shown to Academy members ahead of the selection process for films competing in the 98th Oscars, scheduled for March 15, 2026. For Rosi, this could mark a second nomination, following the success of Fire at Sea, which won the Golden Bear in Berlin in 2016, three years after Sacro GRA earned the Golden Lion in Venice.
During the audience Q&A led by journalist Silvia Bizio, Rosi discussed the painstaking work behind the film’s framing and sound design. He explained how his longtime collaborator Danny Blumberg helped craft a sonic world meant to feel as if it rose directly from the water. Speaking about Naples, Rosi said, “Naples is a place of complexity: judgement, love, contradictions. It carries three thousand years of history, always suspended between past, present, and the possibility of a future. The city lives in a kind of suspended time. For me it was essential to portray not only what you see, but what falls outside the frame. The off-screen is fundamental – a film must hold the things I didn’t shoot but experienced. What lies beyond the frame is almost more important than what’s inside it.” He added, “I’m thrilled to be competing with this new film. Sotto le Nuvole is receiving an incredible response here in the U.S. and in France, and that means a lot to me.”
The night before, Familia, Francesco Costabile’s powerful film representing Italy in the Oscar race and centered on gender-based violence, also moved the audience. “For an American viewer – for anyone – this film matters because it allows for a deep experience. It digs into the moment when a personal story stops being private and becomes universal,” Costabile explained. “When I got the call about the Oscar shortlist, I thought it was a prank. Only afterward did I realize it was real. Being here already feels like a success,” he said to a visibly emotional audience.
Festival director Loredana Commonara expressed pride in supporting Sotto le Nuvole, winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. “It has been an honor to champion the Oscar campaign of a filmmaker like Gianfranco Rosi, a master of documentary who transforms observational cinema into visual poetry. This year we supported three films in the Academy Awards race – Sorrentino’s La Grazia presented by Toni Servillo, Rosi’s Sotto le Nuvole, and Costabile’s Familia – a result that speaks to the strength of these works and to the privilege of hosting Academy members at each screening.”
The festival continues with several highly anticipated events. For the 25th anniversary of the landmark Italian film I Cento Passi, actor Luigi Lo Cascio will appear at Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò (NYU), followed by a conversation with Stefano Albertini. At Lincoln Center, Tre Ciotole – based on Michela Murgia’s novel and directed by Isabel Coixet – will screen with the director in attendance, joined by actor Sarita Choudhury and Alessandro Giammei of Yale University, curator of Murgia’s legacy, in a discussion moderated by Albertini. Additional titles include Silvio Soldini’s Le assaggiatrici, and the festival reaffirms its identity as the first and only New York festival to include TV series in its lineup. Forthcoming screenings include Valeria Golino’s L’arte della gioia and Billie August’s Il Conte di Montecristo.
Italy On Screen Today New York – Film & TV Series Fest is made possible with the support of Italy’s Ministry of Culture – Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual, the Consulate General of Italy in New York, Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò at NYU, and the patronage of the Italian Cultural Institute. The festival’s tenth edition also continues its collaboration with Italy for Movies, the national portal for Italian filming locations and production incentives managed by Cinecittà with Italy’s regional film commissions. Available also as an app, the platform offers information on locations, funding opportunities, industry news and itinerary suggestions for cinephiles eager to explore Italy’s on-screen landscapes.
