10 novembre > SALA 1 ore 20

Italy – 1986 – colore – 105’

CREDITS

Direction: Luca Verdone

Screenplay: Leonardo Benvenuti, Piero De Bernardi, Luca Verdone

Cinematography: Danilo Desideri

Editing: Antonio Siciliano

Set design: Franco Velchi

Original music: Pino Donaggio

Costumes: Luca Sabatelli

Cast: Carlo Verdone, Renato Pozzetto, Elena Fabrizi, Silvia Annichiarico, Tiziana Pini, Franco Diogene

Producers: Mario e Vittorio Cecchi Gori

Production: Cecchi Gori Group

Distribuzione: Infinity+ – RTI-Mediaset Infinity

The HD restoration of 7 Chili in 7 Giorni was carried out by Infinity+, the channel of the Mediaset Infinity platform, to mark the 35th anniversary of the film’s release in cinemas.

SYNOPSIS

Alfio Tamburini and his former fellow student Silvano Baracchi, after graduating in Medicine with the lowest passing mark, have been reduced to working as a masseur and chiropodist the former and as a sanitary sales rep the latter. When they meet again by chance nine years after graduating, they decide to turn their careers around and open a weight loss centre by refurbishing the country house belonging to Alfio’s wife. Attracted by the advertising campaign, clients are quick to arrive, but amidst gruelling workouts, gymnastics, empty plates (with the only exception of a strange concoction) they soon begin to doubt the effectiveness of the treatment and rebel. When the situation seems to have become irrecoverable, the two friends come up with a stroke of genius.

THE DIRECTOR: LUCA VERDONE

Born in Rome in 1953 and graduated in Humanities (history and art studies), since 1973 he has made numerous Art documentaries (about Sergio Leone, Luchino Visconti, Antologia del Neorealismo, Futurismo Movimento Arte/Vita, Michelangelo Antonioni, Le Immagini e il Tempo) with which he has won many international prizes and the Silver Ribbon Award. After a traineeship as an opera director with P. Samaritani, he made his debut in 1977 with L’Impresario by W.A. Mozart and went on until the latest staging of Carmen at the Bellini Theatre in Catania (2020). Since 1973 he has been a documentary and TV show director. He debuted in film with 7 Chili in 7 Giorni (1986), followed by La Bocca (1991) with T. Welch and A. Valli, awarded with a David di Donatello Award, Il Piacere di Piacere (2001) with A. Liskova, V. Proshina, G. Carotenuto Vaz, La Meravigliosa Avventura di Antonio Franconi (2011) with M. Ranieri and O. M. Guerrini, Alberto il Grande (2013), made with his brother Carlo, Le Memorie di Giorgio Vasari (2018) with B. Selby.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

“The film was intended to renew the “Commedia all’Italiana” (Italian-style Comedy) by introducing a surreal and farcical element. I turned for inspiration to British comedy films such as A Private Function and to Steno’s comedies with Alberto Sordi (Piccola Posta). I felt a broadening of the genre was necessary and I borrowed much imagery from Fellini’s films. I wanted to develop a style that winked at purely escapist cinema to deal ironically with the issue of slimming treatments, a great fetish of the Consumer Society.”

FILMOGRAPHY

1979 Antologia del Neorealismo (doc)

1986 7 chili in 7 giorni

1991 La bocca

2001 Il piacere di piacere

2005 Fabrizi e Fellini, lo strano incontro (doc)

2011 La meravigliosa avventura di Antonio Franconi

2013 Alberto il grande (doc)

2018 Le memorie di Giorgio Vasari