Italian Film Festival - Martin Eden

The Studio Italia | Italian Film Festival NZ warmly invites you to the screening of the Modern Day Masterpiece and multi-award-winning film 'Martin Eden' by Pietro Marcello.

Jack London’s novel of Martin Eden is transposed to Napoli, in Pietro Marcello’s stunningly unique arthouse epic. Every element of this film, from cinematography to production design, costume to the extraordinary lead performance of Luca Marinelli, are touched by a stunning artistic sensibility. There is no question that Pietro Marcello is a Director with a bold voice and style, his sensibility is entirely original, yet we can see echoes of great Italian masters like Visconti, De Sica or Rossellini. The lead role should cement Luca Marinelli as one of the finest young actors of his generation.

It is the story of Martin Eden, a rough but honourable sailor who transcends class and poverty in his quest to win the heart of a woman. He learns to read and write, and becomes an inspired, successful writer. His political awakening and newfound social status now put him at odds with his working-class roots, friends and literary world.

This is a genuinely passionate film with an acute intellectual perspective, unashamedly critical of class hypocrisy and hollow political ideology. In so many ways, it feels like a famous classic film that we ‘should’ have seen. Shot on film with a delectable colour palette, the visual style will remind you of cinema’s endless possibilities.