Mary Ann Carolan, Ph.D., Fairfield University associate professor and author of "The Transatlantic Gaze: Italian Cinema, American Film," will discuss the effect of Italian directors, actors and writers on filmmakers in the United States at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 6, at Fairfield University Bookstore, 1499 Post Road, Fairfield. The talk is free and open to the public.

Many have studied the impact of American culture on the rest of the world, but Dr. Carolan's new book, published in February, examines the other side of the equation by tracing how Italian artistry and innovation is reflected in American film - from historical epics of the silent era to neorealist drama to spaghetti westerns and art films.

"From the early days of the silent film to today, American directors such as D.W. Griffith, Woody Allen, Lee Daniels, Quentin Tarantino and Spike Lee have acknowledged their indebtedness to the masters of Italian cinema," said Dr. Carolan, who directs the Italian Studies Program. "'The Transatlantic Gaze' celebrates the contributions of Italian cinema while offering a new perspective for the appreciation of American film to both the scholar and the fan."

Dr. Carolan joined the Fairfield faculty in 1997, after teaching at both Wesleyan and Yale universities. She teaches courses on the Italian American experience, Dante, Italian cinema and contemporary Italian culture, among other topics. She holds a Ph.D. in Italian language and literature from Yale University.

Dr. Carolan has published articles on several Italian authors, as well as film directors Michelangelo Antonioni, Sergio Leone, Ettore Scola and Ferzan Ozpetek. She's currently working on a book-length project, "Orienting Italy: China Through the Lens of Italian Filmmakers."

For more information on this event, contact Elizabeth Hastings, ehastings@fairfield.edu or (203) 254-4000, ext. 2688.

Posted On: 02-21-2014 11:02 AM

Volume: 46 Number: 180