The world premiere of Mitzi Peirone ’s horror film “Saint Clare” will open the Taormina Film Festival , this year celebrating its 70th anniversary edition. The adaptation of Don Roff’s novel stars Bella Thorne, Ryan Phillippe, Frank Whaley and Rebecca De Mornay. It’s the first of four world premieres to screen at the outdoor Teatro Antico in the Sicilian town, which looks out towards Mount Etna, an active volcano, to the West.
Lee Isaac Chung’s highly anticipated remake/sequel “Twisters,” distributed by Warner Bros. in Italy, is blowing into town for its local premiere. Starring “Normal People’s” Daisy Edgar Jones and “Hitman” star Glen Powell, the “Minari” director’s film is a reupping of Jan de Bont’s mid-90s classic, with a James Cameron-esque title promising to multiply the mayhem.
Marco Mueller, who has taken over as the festival’s artistic director (see interview ), commented that one of the world premieres, “Mother Stone,” is a film made by a pair of volcanologists turned filmmakers, Daniele Greco and Mauro Maugeri. “If we can get them to stimulate Etna, maybe a little fire, I’m sure that Warner Bros. will want to come to Taormina every year if we can manage that,” he joked.
Nicolas Cage introduces the latest chapter in his long goodbye to cinema acting with a vintage Cage performance in “The Surfer,” Lorcan Finnegan’s surreal dramedy, which premiered at Cannes in May. Changing gears dramatically from his Idris-Elba-f.
