Film Screening, SMOG

SMOG (1962 35mm, 88 min)

Laconic and moody, this little-known film from director Franco Rossi presents a compelling outsider’s perspective as he tracks Italian attorney Vittorio Ciocchetti (Enrico Maria Salerno) through two days in the City of Angels. Stumbling upon several ex-pats from his homeland, Ciochetti is shown the vast and enigmatic city through their eyes, from LAX airport and Pierre Koenig’s Stahl house (both newly-built) to the oil wells of Culver City. Through his encounters, the stark contrast between the liberated lifestyle of mid-century Los Angeles and post-war Italy become evident.

Cast: Enrico Maria Salerno, Annie Girardot, Renato Salvatori. Soundtrack by Piero Ulmani with Chet Baker. Presented in Italian dialogue with English subtitles.

Introduction by Rani Singh, Senior Research Associate Getty Research Institute and co-curator of Overdrive: LA Constructs the Future 1940 – 1990

Harold M. Williams Auditorium. Free and open to the public. Reservations required.