The Cézanne Affair

Colour, 35 mm
Italy, 2009, 124 min
IP – International premiere
Section: Official Selection - Out of Competition

Synopsis

Gabriele Rossetti returns to southern Italy to say a last farewell to his father, a former stationmaster in a small town not far from Bari. The old man reawakens in him memories of his childhood, of his loving and beautiful mother and fun-seeking uncle, his friends, but also of his father’s irascibility and exasperation over his thwarted attempts to realise his artistic ambitions. Ernesto was convinced he was destined to become a famous painter and was willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of his beloved masters and for his belief in his own talent, even his own pride – and this his son cannot accept, determined that he won’t turn out like his father. It is only now that, years later, through chance and circumstances, Gabriele begins to understand Ernesto and to see what sort of person his father really was. In this bittersweet tale of the frustrations of a man refusing to live his ordinary life, Italian actor and director Sergio Rubini also incorporates his own ironic reflection on the relative value of art criticism.

About the director

Sergio Rubini (b. 1959, Grumo Appula, Italy) studied at the National Academy of Dramatic Arts in Rome. After working for the theatre and radio he appeared in 1987 as one of the protagonists in Federico Fellini’s film Interview (Intervista). In 1990 he debuted with the film The Station (La stazione), which won a national David di Donatello award and a FIPRESCI Prize in Venice. Other films: The Blonde (La bionda, 1992), Extraordinary Performance (Prestazione straordinaria, 1994), The Bride’s Journey (Il viaggio della sposa, 1997), All the Love There Is (Tutto l’amore che c’è, 2000), Soul Mate (L’anima gemella, 2002), The Earth (La terra, 2006). He usually appears in his own films, but also takes on roles in works by other filmmakers.