Acting Across Borders: Mobility and Identity in Italian Cinema

Acting Across Borders examines how Italian cinema from the 1930s to 1980s has considered human mobility, combining Film Studies with the Mobilities Framework to explore the concept of italianit (Italian-ness) in contexts related to migration, diaspora, exile, tourism, travel, and their supporting infrastructures.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2022
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Acting Across Borders is a groundbreaking book that sheds new light on the notion of Italian identity as it is understood by the national cinema. Combining Film Studies with the Mobilities Framework, it delves into previously unexplored facets of the careers of two iconic actors, Amedeo Nazzari and Alberto Sordi. By examining a variety of physical, ideological, and social borders within the cinematic bodies of Nazzari and Sordi, Alberto Zambenedetti explores the question of how Italian cinema from the 1930s to 1980s has considered human mobility.

Through close readings of a selection of films, Zambenedetti examines the concept of italianit (Italian-ness) as manifested in contexts related to migration, diaspora, exile, tourism, travel, and their supporting infrastructures. In this wide-ranging study, the methodologies of Film Studies and the Mobilities Framework are combined to illuminate an undertheorised yet vital tradition in the history of the national cinema.

One of the key insights of Acting Across Borders is the way in which Italian cinema has depicted the complexities of human mobility and its impact on individuals and communities. The book highlights the ways in which films have explored the experiences of migrants, refugees, and exiles, as well as the challenges they face in their new environments. It also examines the ways in which cinema has contributed to the construction of national identities and the representation of different cultures and communities.

Another important aspect of the book is its exploration of the role of popular actors like Nazzari and Sordi in shaping the representation of italianit in cinema. Zambenedetti argues that these actors played a crucial role in popularising the concept of italianit and in making it accessible to a wider audience. Through their performances, they were able to convey the nuances and complexities of italianit, helping to shape the way in which it was understood and celebrated by audiences both in Italy and abroad.

Acting Across Borders is a valuable addition to the field of Film Studies and Mobilities Studies, offering a fresh perspective on the relationship between cinema and human mobility. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the history, culture, and politics of Italian cinema, as well as for those who are interested in the broader field of mobilities studies.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474439879