NICE, New Italian Cinema Events will start its 18th New York edition from November 13 to 17 at the Tribeca Cinemas (54 Varick Street
at Laight Street) presenting seven North American premieres. The traveling festival is dedicated to presenting first films by Italian directors to an international audience. The festival will open with MAR NERO (“BLACK SEA”) in the presence of first-time director Federico Bondi, whose protagonist Ilaria Occhini won the award for Best Actress at the International Film Festival Locarno.
“Acclaimed Italian star Ilaria Occhini and Romania's Dorotheea Petre make a lasting impression in a variation on the odd couple theme. […] Full of gentle wisdom and the fresh air of New Europe, the film's fine acting and general warmth will endear it to festival and art house audiences everywhere.” - Ray Bennet - The Hollywood Reporter

One of this year’s special events is the North American premiere of “Puccini and the Girl” by Paolo Benvenuti, one of Italy’s most important independent film makers. Benvenuti will be present at the screening on November 16 at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center.

“We are very happy to announce a special Tuscan collaboration this year”, says NICE director Viviana Del Bianco. ”The special event opening the Festival this year will be curated by the Mediateca Regionale – Toscana Film Commission, and it will be dedicated to one of our great Tuscan directors, Paolo Benvenuti from Pisa, one of the most authentic and original chroniclers of Italy’s past and contemporary history. His meditation on love and betrayal in the life of composer Giacomo Puccini will mesh with the genius loci of Lincoln Center, home of so many triumphant productions of his works.”

Over the years, NICE has become a showcase for new talent before their critical and commercial breakthrough. Directors such as Paolo Sorrentino, Matteo Garrone, Paolo Virzi’, or Gabriele Salvatores had their first international exposure at NICE.

After New York, the festival will move on to San Francisco from November 16 to 23 before traveling to Moscow, St. Petersburg and Amsterdam.
On December 13, the film most popular in all participating cities will receive the audience award “Citta di Firenze” in Florence, Italy.

N.I.C.E. is a collaboration between: Ministero per i Beni e le Attività culturali – Direzione Generale per il Cinema, Ministero Affari Esteri and in collaboration with the Italian Consulates, the Italian Cultural Institutes, the City of Florence and its Assessorato alla Cultura, the Mediateca Regionale – Toscana Film Commission, New York University - ,Casa Italiana Zerilli Marimo’, New York Film Academy, American Calandra Institute, San Francisco Film Society, Tribeca Film Festival, Kodak, RAI Corporation, Rai and RaiSAT, Sundance Institute, and The Fitzgerald Foundation of Florence