Italy
1996, 35mm, Color, 94 min.
Director: Leonardo Pieraccioni
Producers: Vittorio & Rita Cecchi Gori
Executive Producers: Mario & Vittorio Cecchi Gori
Cinematographer: Roberto Forza
Editor: Mirco Garrone
Screenwriters: Giovanni Veronesi, Leonardo Pieraccioni
Music: Claudio Guidetti
Principal Cast: Leonardo Pieraccioni, Lorena Forteza,
Barbara Enrichi, Massimo Ceccherini, Sergio Forconi,
Tosca d'Aquino, Patrizia Corti, Benedetta Mazzini
Levante Quarini (Leonardo Pieraccioni) is an accountant who
rides his moped into the village every day; his father, Osvaldo
(Sergio Forconi), and brother Libero (Massimo Ceccherini),
an amateur painter, work in the fields around their Tuscan
farmhouse; and his lesbian sister, Selvaggia (Barbara Enrichi),
works as a shop assistant for the local chemist. One day, a
troupe of Spanish flamenco dancers who call themselves "The
Cyclone" arrive in town to perform at the village feast and the
Quarini's generously offer to let rooms in their home to the
five gorgeous dancers, two stagehands, and the company
manager. The dancers' effect is soon felt throughout the
village: Naldone (Alessandro Haber), the manager, falls in love
with Carlina (Tosca D'Aquino), the local barmaid; Selvaggia
falls for the sensual Penelope (Natalie Estrada), enraging her
girlfriend Isabella (Benedetta Mazzini); Levante is smitten with
Caterina (Lorena Forteza); and Libero starts painting with
newfound energy. The Cyclone, the highest grossing film of
all time in Italy, establishes director and star Leonardo
Pieraccioni as one of the world's freshest new comedic talents.
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