Cinema Derive: Hunger + Totò

Hunger (1966) by Henning Carlsen, DK, 112 min. English subtitles.
Based on the novel by Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun, Henning Carlsen's film adaptation of Hunger tells the story of a man whose total dedication to literature costs him his health and perhaps sanity. Shot in stunning black and white, the film captures the bleakness of a world looking for a soul. The main actor Per Oscarsson gives a magnificent performance for which he won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival. Not only is he in every scene in the film, but the film can scarcely even be conceived of without his mesmerizing presence.

The Sunday Monster + What are Clouds? (40 min. total)
The Italian comedian actor Totò was almost a God in Italian cinema. During his last days before he died he began an incredible filmic relationship with Pier Paolo Pasolini. Totò's last performances were in two short films made in 1968, which we will show tonight as a tribute to the great actor.