CITYist

One of Italy’s greatest gifts to the rest of the world (besides the food and the fashion, of course) is their knack for creating some pretty unforgettable cinematic moments; it’s almost impossible to go to the Trevi Fountain and not think of Anita Ekberg, in an evening gown, curves and all, wading through it. To make sure that we never lose those images, Martin Scorsese’s Film Foundation, with a helping hand from Gucci, will restore two classics this year: Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita and Luchino Visconti’s Il Gattopardo. And since both films are approaching their 50th anniversaries, it seems like a pretty good way to celebrate.

Thanks to the foundation, this year’s Cannes Film Festival will see a restored version of Il Gattopardo, and with that, the famous (almost hour long) ball scene that makes what we wear today look like sloppy sweats in comparison. And when it comes to Italian fashion, La Dolce Vita is the backbone of it, with its sunglass-clad women in tight, expensive dresses and Marcello Mastroianni in an immaculately tailored black suit.

For the past 20 years, Scorsese’s Film Foundation has helped to preserve over 500 films, and for the past five years, Gucci has helped to assist in the restorations. And since Gucci has long been inspired by the luxury and elegance portrayed in Italian cinema, we can’t think of a more fitting way to say grazie.