Christmas Present Any Day Of The Week
Christmas Present is an Italian language film that was released in 1986. It was produced by Antonia Avati and distributed by SACIS Film. Christmas present was awarded the Silver Nymph award for Best Screenplay at the Monte Carlo Film Festival. The film would be followed by a sequel, Christmas Rematch 18 years later featuring the original cast. The film is a comedy drama and follows four friends and a mysterious lawyer whose motives aren’t quite clear. They arrange a poker match on Christmas day, but soon, each player has much more at stake on the table than just a few chips or loose change. Each player goes through their own personal journey of self discovery, before the tense and climatic final scene.
About The Actors
Carlo Delle Piane plays Antonio Sant’Elia and was awarded with the Volpi Cup for best actor at the 43rd annual Venice Film Festival. Diego Abatantuono was awarded the Nastro d’Argento for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Franco Mattiolo. Gianni Cavina plays Ugo Cavara, the lawyer’s seeming partner and friend and he ties the whole plot together. George Eastman plays Stefano Bertoni and along with the above mentioned Carlo, who plays Antonio, they form quite a formidable comedy duo, which neither shares nor desires the refined attitudes of their friends. Kristina Sevierie and Rosella Como play the love interests in the film, but nothing ends quite as you expect.
The Excellent And Fitting Soundtrack
As with Christmas Present’s sequel, Christmas rematch, the music in the film was done by Riz Ortolani. His score fits perfectly with the film, with his melancholic strings and energetic chord changes really make the soundtrack memorable. The scenes of the Italian countryside, a favourite for the director Papi Avati , have their beauty stamped by Ortolani’s unique sound.
The Acclaimed Director
Pupi Avati, or as some know him by his full name, Giuseppe Avati, is an Italian film director, writer and producer. He has covered a broad range of genres and is most well known internationally for two horror classics. The 1976 film, The House With The Laughing Windows, and the 1983 film, Zeder. The director is also highly acclaimed with an extensive list of awards and recognitions. He has been nominated for three Golden Palm awards at the Cannes Film Festival. In 1991 for his film BIX, in 1993 for his film Magnificent and in 2003 for Il Cuore Altrove.
Internationally he has won two awards at the Montreal World Film Festival in 2000 for Best Screenplay and Best film, the Grand Prix des Ameriques for his film La Via Degli Angeli
He was nominated for a Golden Berlin Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1998 for Il Testimone Dello Sposo. Pupi has been awarded the 1998 Silver Raven at the Brussels International Film Festival for The Silver Raven. He is also considered a regular at the David di Donatello Awards ceremony where he has been nominated ten times and won twice. He also regularly features among the nominees at the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists with five wins under his belt including Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Producer.