IIS Cine Club - LAMERICA by Gianni Amelio

Join us for an Italian cinema evening at our next Cine Club meeting on Friday, October 24th!

We’ll be screening Lamerica (1994), a gripping Italian drama directed by Gianni Amelio. Set in post-communist Albania, the film follows Italian con artists Gino and Fiore, who arrive hoping to cash in on humanitarian grants. Their scheme unravels when they recruit Spiro, a confused elderly man, as a puppet CEO—only to have him flee. Gino’s desperate search for Spiro forces him to confront the harsh reality of Albanian poverty and the blurred divide between nationality, identity, and humanity.

A neorealist masterpiece, Lamerica strips its protagonist of all material identity—passport, clothes, status—making him one among the refugees he once exploited. Amelio’s use of real locations and non-professional actors gives the film a haunting authenticity that has earned it critical acclaim, including Best Director at Venice and Best Film at the European Film Awards.

Come for a profound cinematic journey that goes beyond borders—confront social change, memory, and the human spirit, enriched by a discussion with teacher Barbara designed to deepen your understanding of the movie, its cultural references, and Italy itself.

The movie will be screened in Italian with English subtitles, making it accessible for all levels of language proficiency.

PHOTO RELEASE: By attending this event, I hereby grant ISTITUTO ITALIANO SCUOLA in San Francisco permission to use my likeness in photograph(s) in any publications or publicity materials (including but not limited to books, newsletters, videos, and Web use), in perpetuity. I will make no monetary or other claim against ISTITUTO ITALIANO SCUOLA in San Francisco for the use of the photograph(s).

Host or Publisher Istituto Italiano Scuola