The Red and the Blue

[Il rosso e il blu]

Country: Italy Year: 2012 Duration: 98 mins Language: Italian with English subtitles Genre Drama Director: Giuseppe Piccioni Cast: Margherita Buy, Riccardo Scamarcio, Roberto Herlitzka Classification Exemption: 15+

Based on a book by real-life teacher Marco Lodoli, The Red and the Blue is a smart, stylish and ultimately affectionate look at life in a modern day high school.

With intersecting stories including a troubled teen romance, an idealistic teacher trying to help disillusioned students and a headmistress turned good Samaritan, director Giuseppe Piccioni presents the fable-like tales of schoolyard characters with both high expectations and some overwhelming despair.

Though it is set in the troubled public education system, this is not a political film with finger wagging and morality lessons. Quite the opposite in fact – this is a charming and bittersweet portrait of those drawn to the noble profession of teaching, and of students struggling on the verge of adulthood. The stories are genuinely told and laced with wry, observational humour.

Riccardo Scamarcio (The Ages of Love IFF11) and Margherita Buy (The Manual of Love IFF06) are once again reunited after appearing in last year’s closing night hit To Rome With Love. Both stars portray the complexities and challenges of modern-day teaching with a skill which places them in a class of their own.

Not screening in Byron Bay.

Australian Premiere
AWARDS / FESTIVALS:
2013 David di Donatello - Best Actor (nominated)
,
2013 Shanghai International Film Festival
,
2012 BFI London Film Festival
All non-English language films will screen in the festival with English subtitles.