Cineforum Italiano: Lezioni di cioccolato (Lessons in Chocolate)

Join us for an early Valentines Day celebration! We're screening a light, refreshing movie where comedy and life mix in the right proportions: LESSONS IN CHOCOLATE. A movie that can be seen even by the most sensitive, emotional audience. Nobody dies, nobody cries.... just smiles!

Mattia (Luca Argentero), a 32 year old building contractor in Perugia has all the trappings of success; nice suits, a flashy car, a gorgeous girlfriend and is on a promising career path. But behind this facade he is cutting corners with site safety and hiring illegal workers.

He is about to close the biggest deal of his professional life, when one of his illegally hired workers, Kamal (Hassani Shapi), is badly injured when falling off a roof because of lack of scaffolding. Kamal, who came to Italy from his native Egypt to realize his dream of opening his own pastry shop, threatens to sue Mattia unless Mattia takes his place in an advanced chocolate making course at the Perugina factory! Mattia has no choice but to take Kamal’s place in the school and assume his identity.

But there Mattia meets the model student Cecilia (Violante Placido), who ends up falling for the same sort of man she unfortunately always falls for. Among laughs, misunderstandings and mouth-watering recipes, Mattia will discover a way to bring his and Kamal's disparate cultures together while finding love and new meaning to life at the same time.

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/a/b/b/a/event_87343962.jpeg

Genre: Commedy

Director: Claudio Cupellini (http://www.efp-online.com/en/directors/profile_cupellini.php)

Released: 2007

Duration: 98 min.

In Italian with English subtitles.

Trama: Mattia é il titolare di una piccola impresa edile ed il suo moto é: "qualità al minor costo possibile". Questo significa far lavorare la manodopera in nero e risparmiare sulla sicurezza. Quando però in cantiere succede un incidente e Kamal un manovale egiziano si rompe entrambe le braccia cadendo dal tetto, Mattia, accetta le condizioni del suo dipendente per tenere chiusa la bocca sull'accaduto. Mattia dovrà frequentare, al posto di Kamal, il corso organizzato da un prestigioso produttore di cioccolato per il quale era stato selezionato e dovrà conseguire ottimi risultati e informarlo ogni giorno su tutto ciò che ha imparato. All'inizio Mattia prende l'impegno con superficialità, ma dopo poco tempo si renderà conto che dovrà dare tutto se stesso per stare al passo col corso. Nel frattempo il ragazzo si innamora di Cecilia, la migliore delle allieve del corso ed anche il suo rapporto con Kamal migliora vistosamente, ma, quando viene smascherato, tutto sembra crollargli addosso. Solo l'intervento di Kamal, che racconta pubblicamente tutta la sua storia, riabiliterà Mattia e porterà ad una conclusione del tutto inimmaginabile...

Progetto per l'evento:

4:00 pm: Sign in, enjoy complimentary beverages and snacks during the film. 4:15 pm: Program begins with introductions and film 6:15 pm: The film will be followed by small reception with Perugina chocolates which provides an opportunity to socialize and discuss the film. If you'd like to bring something sweet to share at the reception, feel free.
Prezzo:

$8 online with your RSVP here. Advance ticket purchase is the only guarantee of a seat. If you don't have Paypal, it's still possible to pay online. Click here for instructions. (https://www.meetup.com/italiano/pages/How_to_Pay_Online_without_a_Paypal_Account/) $10 at the door (cash only, no credit/debit card processing) Trailer:

Recensione:

In italiano (http://www.mymovies.it/film/2007/lezionidicioccolato/). In English (http://www.comedymovies.im/reviews/lezioni-di-cioccolato.html). Getting to Letelier Theater: Street parking is free on Sundays. There's also a parking garage available directly next to the theater on Prospect Street for $4/hr. There are several public transportation options. The theater website describes the options in detail: http://leteliertheater.com/directions/