For Italian Republic Day, Israelis offered free movies to watch from home

Festa della Repubblica is marked on June 2 annually, this year, the Israeli Cinémathèque offers people to watch online Italian films.

By HAGAY HACOHEN
People at the movies (Illustrative) (photo credit: INGIMAGE)
People at the movies (Illustrative)
(photo credit: INGIMAGE)
Every year, Italians mark Republic Day (Festa della Repubblica) to honor the historical 1946 vote that ended monarchy and ushered in the Italian democratic republic.
This year, Israeli movie-lovers will be able to watch the best of Italian films online, and for free, by accessing the Tel Aviv or Jerusalem Cinémathèque websites and entering the code offered.
The home-viewing option had been offered as a way to offer new films to cinema lovers during the coronavirus outbreak where theaters are closed.   
The films will be on offer on Tuesday and until June 6.
They include the 2019 production of Pinocchio, with Roberto Benigni in a lead role, and the 2019 Teatro alla Scala's production of Tosca by Puccini as well as Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty.
The Tosca production begins with a performance of the Italian national anthem, Il Canto degli Italiani (the song of the Italians).
Those who wish to learn more about current Italian cinema, or have small children, might enjoy buying an online ticker to watch the 2019 French-Italian animated film The Bears' Famous Invasion of Sicily, based on the 1945 novel by Dino Buzzati.
Another film available online for a small fee is the 2019 production Martin Eden. Directed by Pietro Marcello and based on the 1909 novel by Jack London, this film takes place in Naples and won several awards.
London, who is most often remembered today for his classic book for children White Fang, was one of the few people able to correctly see the dangers of fascism, as depicted in his 1908 book The Iron Heel, often hailed as the first dystopian novel. 
    
Republic Day also marks an end to the horrors of the fascist regime and the mindset that led Italy to ally with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan during the Second World War.
Italian Jews also fell victim to this horrific mindset during the Holocaust, and 17% of them (7,680) were murdered. 
The movies are offered thanks to the Italian Embassy in Israel. Films can be found here.