screening + panel discussion > When food is the protagonist – Gli Amigos by Paolo Genovese

Marking the opening in Los Angeles of the VII Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, ITTV Forum & Festival and the Italian Cultural Institute present a special screening of the medium-length film “Gli Amigos” by Paolo Genovese, a journey into the territory of origin and production of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, starring Stefano Fresi and chef Massimo Bottura. The event is organized under the auspices of the Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles and in collaboration with the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium.

Since its beginning, cinema has had a special eye for the craft of cooking. Then television -with its documentaries, talent and cooking shows – led to a multiplication of content where culinary mastery became the lead. After the screening of “Gli Amigos”, the panel discussion “When food is the protagonist” will explore the importance of food in the audiovisual industry. Moderated by journalist Valentina Martelli, the conversation will feature chef, producer, and Brand Ambassador of Parmigiano Reggiano in the USA, Michele Casadei Massari, executive producer Jeremy Spiegel, and Head Chef of Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura, Mattia Agazzi.

A special tasting session of Parmigiano Reggiano will conclude the program courtesy of the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium.

THE FILM

GLI AMIGOS by Paolo Genovese (Italy, Akita Film, 2021)

A cooking school is invited to participate in a competition to win an internship at the restaurant of the multi-starred chef Massimo Bottura. The real challenge is that everyone must use the same ingredient in every recipe: Parmigiano Reggiano. From here begins a journey to discover the values and secrets of this extraordinary product, the relationships and dreams of the young team of chefs who animate this exciting story. Stefano Fresi, the chef master of the cooking school, will guide and mentor them on this journey of multiple discoveries.

Paolo Genovese (Rome 1966) director and screenwriter, author of many successful films in Italy and abroad, including La Banda dei Santas (2010), Immaturi (2011), All the fault of Freud (2014), Perfect strangers ( 2016) for which it won the David di Donatello as best film and best screenplay and also the Tribecca Film Festival. He wrote two novels for Einaudi.

PANELISTS

MATTIA AGAZZI brings together the breadth of his cooking experience into the new context of California and Los Angeles. For a chef that is ingredient-led and whose Italian background provides a foundation for creativity, LA and Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura Beverly Hills are a natural home for Mattia and his approach to food and dining.

Growing up in Bergamo in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy gave Mattia a landscape to explore. Close to mountain ranges and deep countryside, Lombardy is a region that has four distinct seasons offering an incredible range of produce, and roots for personal inspiration. Lombardy was to Mattia a clean slate, as open as a blank page waiting to be filled with the musings and creations of a talented chef who is also a passionate forager, an ardent angler, and on top, a first-class outdoor athlete and daredevil free rock climber. These are the same hobbies that he naturally still pursues in his free time in California.

MICHELE CASADEI MASSARI is a pedigreed chef and entrepreneur, currently serving as CEO, Founder, and Executive Chef at Lucciola in New York City. Born in 1975 in Riccione and raised in Bologna, Michele moved to New York City in 2009, Massari is extremely passionate about all things Italian including its cuisine, art, literature, and other creative expressions.
After attending the famed Università di Bologna, Massari moved to New York City in 2009 where he translated his many skills and curiosities acquired during his studies in medicine to establish himself as one of the most sought-after Executive Chefs and culinary advisors in the world. Michele works as chef and brand ambassador for major brands such as Ferrari USA, Parmigiano Reggiano and Urbani Truffles. He is the Executive Chef of the BiograFilm Food Academy based in Bologna and Advisor & Partner of Iwonder Pictures, distribution and film production venture.
His cooking style is consistent with the uniquely Italian philosophy which employs a simplistic approach and relies chiefly on the quality of the ingredients rather than elaborate preparation. Occasional radio speaker on Italian national broadcasters such as Radio 2, he is also a conceptual photographer and T-shirt designer.

VALENTINA MARTELLI is an Italian-American television journalist, screenwriter, director and producer. She is also the founder and Creative Director of ITTV Forum&Festival. In Italy, she has worked as investigative reporter and anchorwoman for RAI Italian National Television. She went from reporting on the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, as war correspondent, to hosting the Daily News for Children and the noon news edition. She moved to the U.S. in 2005 and has been the Correspondent on camera based in Los Angeles, for RAI. In the U.S. she also founded IbiscusMedia, Inc., an Entertainment and Media Company, that focuses on international documentaries, film and television series.
In 2019 she started Good Girls Planet, the company behind ITTV FORUM&FESTIVAL and the Showrunner Lab.
She is a Board member of the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce West and Advisor for Ecoflix, the first not-for-profit media group dedicated to saving animals and the planet.
She currently splits her time between California and Italy.

JEREMY SPIEGEL Veteran newsmagazine producer Jeremy Spiegel serves as executive producer of the Emmy®-winning newsmagazine “Extra,” now in its 29th season. It marks Spiegel’s 26th year with the show.
From the Oscar® red carpet all the way back to “Extra’s” London coverage of Princess Diana’s death, Spiegel has traveled the world to cover every high-profile story of the past two-plus decades, including both O.J. Simpson trials, the Olympics, and JFK Jr.’s plane crash. Spiegel was also co-creator and executive producer of the Emmy®-winning true crime series “Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen.” Other credits include co-creator and executive producer of the reality series “H8R.”
Prior to joining “Extra,” Spiegel was a senior field producer for “American Journal” and “Inside Edition” in Los Angeles and New York. He started his broadcast career at FOX Television in New York.
Spiegel, who attended Rutgers University majoring in broadcast journalism, has been featured as an expert in the career book “Hot Jobs” and on the A&E documentary “Minute by Minute: The O.J. Bronco Chase.” He is a frequent guest speaker, teacher, and panelist at universities and industry events, including ITTV: The Italian Television Festival, and the Showrunner Lab in Florence, Italy. He frequently provides commentary on the business of Hollywood for international news networks.
Spiegel lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.