Having spent much of my life assuming that any European country I visited would be FRANCE, and educating myself accordingly, I now find myself somewhat disconcertingly drawn to a different European destination (still vicariously, you understand, what with teenagers and earthquakes and life in general being so vraiment expensive).
All those years of Bonjour, and Ca va? and Ouvre la fenetre, s’il vous plait! are now being called into question, after several long conversations with well-travelled friends and relations. Italy, not France apparently, is the place to go. They have art there, and music, and history, and culture, and food, and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
Quelle horreur! What to do? I must start all over again, learn a NEW language, find friends who speak Italian, immerse myself in a different culture, and all while staying home in Christchurch.
What luck, then, to arrive at the library and find our wee city is hosting the 15th Italian film festival. Starting on 20 October, the Rialto cinema will be showcasing 17 of the best and brightest Italian movies of recent years, thus enabling me to move past phrases like spaghetti bolognese, and on to the real Italy that awaits. There’s even a grand opening night, with Italian beverages on offer, and the chance to show off your own language talents.
And even better, we’ve got two double passes to any of the film festival movies to give away. All you need to do is … comment below by Friday 15 October, and tell us your favourite Italiano movie, poem or book (the competition is only open to Christchurch and Canterbury residents, and not to Christchurch City Council employees).
And for those who can’t wait, check out the library’s selection of Italian movies, Italian fiction, Italian language books, and Italian travel guides.
Christchurch City Libraries Blog 
My fave Italian movie is easy as it’s also one of my favourite movies: Cinema Paradiso.
There are others but I can’t think of their names just now!
Any Italian movies are fantastico, because they’re in Italian – lovely language. If you want a laugh check out “Ecclesiastical fashion show” on You Tube. Its an excerpt from Fellini’s Roma, which is a really weird movie.
I have to agree with Cinema Paradiso – and it may be a bit obvious but Life is beautiful is another favourite.
Married to an Italian so compulsory to love Italian movies! It’s not hard. I like Pane e Tulipani, and I’m reading La solitudine dei numeri primi at the moment.
Twitter @reidmatthew
Cesca & reidmatthew are our lucky winners with a double pass each. Congratulazioni.