The Garden of the Finzi-Continis, released in 1970, is a classic film about an Italian-Jewish family at the onset of World War II. Directed by Vittorio De Sica and based on the historical novel by Giorgio Bassani, the motion picture won the 1972 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
A half century after its release and Oscar win, join the Museum for a special screening and discussion about The Garden of the Finzi-Continis.
A private screening link for the film will be made available to everyone registered for this program. After viewing the film on your own, tune in on February 11 at 2 PM EST for an in-depth discussion about the film and its legacy. The discussion will feature:
- Ricky Ian Gordon, composer of the operatic adaptation of The Garden of the Finzi-Continis;
- Portia Prebys, longtime companion of Giorgio Bassani;
- Jacqueline Reich, Italian cinema expert and Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication and Media Studies at Fordham University;
- Francesco Pitassio, Professor of Film Studies at the Department of Humanities and Cultural Heritage of the University of Udine in Italy; and
- Stanislao Pugliese, Professor of Modern European History and the Queensboro UNICO Distinguished Professor of Italian and Italian-American Studies at Hofstra University.
A $10 suggested donation enables us to present programs like this one. We thank you for your support.
Public programming at the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust is made possible, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act; and other generous donors.
Watch Here: