29 August
        Besides the already mentioned *Tango Lesson,* by Sally Potter,
today's films in competition are: *Niagara Niagara* by Bob Gosse
(USA) and *I Vesuviani,* a compilation film by Pappi Corsicato,
Antonio Capuano, Antonietta de Lillo, Stefano Incerti, Mario Martone
(Italy).
        I might have mentioned earlier that this year's Venice FilmFest is
dedicated to Marcello Mastroianni, whose image dominates  all the
posters and schedules of the Mostra (sniff!).  Also a Mastroianni
prize will be assigned at the festival, starting next year, to a
French and Italian actor in alternate years.  A documentary entitled
*Marcello Mastroianni: Mi Ricordo, Si Io mi Ricordo* by his partner
Anna Maria Tato' (Italy) (of which a shorter version was presented at
the Cannes FilmFest this past May) was shown today, with Michelangelo
and Enrica Antonioni and Jill Clayburgh (??) in attendance.  I was
there too, daydreaming about sharing a viewing space with Antonioni.
        The film presents an interview on the set of Mastroianni's last
film, in Portugal,  *Voyage au Bout du Monde* by Manuel de Oliveira,
and sequences (not just short clips, as Mastroianni had advised
Tato') from a number of films featuring Mastroianni (who acted in
over 170 films in a career that spanned 50 years). Needless to say,
those 210' were very moving.
        At the end of the screening, I decided to approach Antonioni (a now
or never kind of situation).  Knowing that he cannot speak (that
"Grazie" uttered at the Academy Awards in 1995 was a miracle) or sign
autographs and that photographs irritate him, I walked up and and
asked him if I could just look at his face for a brief instant.
Except that I couldn't finish my sentence.  Moved by the Mastroianni
film and moved by Antonioni's presence, I just lost control of my
emotions and my eyes swelled with tears (so much for critical
distance!).  I managed to get a few words out of my mouth and thanked
him for film work.  He looked back at me--undoubtedly surprised by my
reaction, and extended his hand to touch mine.  I knew then that I
had died and gone to film heaven.
        Indeed, io mi ricordo, si mi ricordo.
 
        Gloria Monti
 
        P.S. I forgot to mention that the second film in competition
yesterday was *Giro di Lune fra Terra e Mare* by Giuseppe Gaudino
(Italy).
 
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