Italian Cinema Week Returns to Karachi with Tribute to Ettore Scola

Tribute to Ettore Scola

As part of this year’s programme, the Consulate screened two of Scola’s acclaimed films, La Famiglia (1987) and La Cena (1998). The films offered Karachi audiences an opportunity to explore the director’s distinctive storytelling and his focus on family, relationships and society.

Consul of Italy in Karachi Fabrizio Bielli welcomed guests and thanked Nueplex Cinema for supporting the initiative and helping promote Italian cinema in Karachi.

Scola, who was born in Trevico, Italy, in 1931, built a career spanning more than five decades. His work explored Italy’s political, social and historical changes through stories marked by humour, sensitivity and humanism.

He began his career as a writer and illustrator for the satirical magazine Marc’Aurelio. He later contributed to several notable films before making his directorial debut in 1964. Scola died in Rome in 2016 at the age of 84.

Cinema as a Cultural Bridge

The two selected films highlight Scola’s ability to explore universal experiences through everyday settings. La Famiglia examines family life and changing relationships across generations, while La Cena explores human interaction and social dynamics around a restaurant dinner.

Bielli noted that many of the themes in Scola’s films resonate with audiences in both Italy and Pakistan. Family, home, shared meals and gatherings remain important values in both cultures.

The Consulate said the screenings aimed to strengthen cultural understanding between Italy and Pakistan while presenting Italian cinema as a bridge between communities and traditions.

The event brought together film enthusiasts as well as members of Karachi’s business and cultural communities, who gathered to celebrate Scola’s enduring contribution to world cinema.