Armchair Escapism 7

FILMS
Il Gattopardo (The Leopard)
With the new Netflix series shedding light on Giuseppe Tommaso di Lampedusa’s shattering novel, its fundamental to also watch Luchino Visconti’s 1963 filmic version. Starring Alain Delon as the dazzling Tancredi and Burt Lancaster as the melancholic Prince of Salina, we watch the characters navigate the tensions of the declining Italian aristocracy dressed in silken fineries and fading through sumptuous palazzi. Visconti was known to be an utter purist on set, and he was hellbent on evoking the Sicilian 19th century with the greatest accuracy. Il Gattopardo is shot with elegance and poise, a true masterpiece of Italian cinema.

Jamón Jamón
It was on the set of this film that Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, still relatively unknown actors, first met and fell in love. Their chemistry throughout Jamón Jamón is palpable and enduring. This drama, set in a small Spanish village, tells the story of a love triangle between the beautiful Silvia (Cruz), her fiancé, José Luis, and the broody Raúl (Bardem). In a pulsating piece that intertwines passion, tension and dark humour, every lustful twist leaves you on the edge of your seat.

I Cento Passi
For all the beauty of the Mediterranean lands, there is also a brutal underbelly. I Cento Passi (The One hundred steps) is based on the true-life story of Peppino Impastato, who defied the Sicilian mafia with courage and integrity. Set in 1970s Sicily, Peppino came from a family who was also embroiled in mafia activity but from a young age, he was determined to resist and expose the organisation’s corruptions. We watch our protagonist push every limit despite the dangers it brings to his family and his own life. The film is a compelling tribute to human resilience, courage and determination.

BOOKS

Letizia Battaglia
A catalogue of photographs from the renowned photojournalist Letizia Battaglia showing the good, the bad, and the ugly of Sicilian life in the late 20th/early 21st century. Battaglia grew up in the rugged Palermo and only became a photographer later in her life. Her works are emotive, vivid, humorous and at times even heart-wrenching as she explores themes of love, family, community, crime and violence during troubled times. It was also uncommon for women in Sicily to be on the frontline, taking photographs of serious and dangerous events, but Battaglia defied many norms. This catalogue is a retrospective of her photographic career and demonstrates her best works.

A Moveable feast, Ernest Hemingway
In this memoir, Hemingway recalls his years living in 1920s Paris as he struggled to make his name as a writer. He recounts the friendships he made along the way with iconic characters such as like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and Ezra Pound. As he traverses the city, dining in its brasseries, whiling away in its café’s and drinking in its bars, he paints a vivid picture of his expat life in the French capital. This period had a profound effect on his work and the stories he forged are grounded in the reality he lived. A Moveable Feast offers a nostalgic glimpse into Hemingway’s formative years as an author and offers a glimpse of how he evolved into one of the 20th century’s most important literary figures.

The Island, Victoria Hislop
The Island tells the story of London born Alexis, who upon her mother’s death, discovers that her roots are traced to the Greek island of Spinalonga which was once a leper colony. She travels to the island to uncover more of her past and immerses herself into the lives of its former inhabitants. The story’s narrative snakes through various timelines as Alexis learns more about the struggles of her compatriots living everyday emotions against the turmoil of isolation and survival. Rich in history and emotion, it’s a poignant tale of connection and identity.