A free online series with Prof. Daniela Boccassini
 
The Dante Alighieri Society of BC and the Consulate General of Italy in Vancouver celebrate Dante's 750th anniversary with an introductory webinar in four installments, held by UBC's Prof. Daniela Boccassini.

Written in the Italian language over 700 years ago, the Divine Comedy (La Divina Commedia)is one of the masterpieces of world literature, a complex poem that takes the reader on a spiritual journey from a ghastly dark forest to the blissful light of a cosmic embrace, from exile to reintegration, from wretchedness to joy.

In the course of four Monday evenings, Prof. Daniela Boccassini will introduce us to Dante's immortal work and to his cosmic perspective, following this schedule:
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1. December 7: Dante's life and his source of inspiration: Beatrice
2. December 14: The Divine Comedy - Inferno
3. December 21: The Divine Comedy - Purgatorio
4. December 28: The Divine Comedy - Paradiso
 
The series will be conducted in English, from 6.30pm to 8.00pm (PST), via Zoom. No previous knowledge of Dante's poem is required.
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An expert on Dante and the medieval world, Dr. Daniela Boccassini 
teaches in the Italian program at UBC.
She is also one of the directors of the Jung Society of Vancouver. 
For more info: https://fhis.ubc.ca/people/daniela-boccassini/

Info and registration: Admission to the series is free. Please register at info@dantesocietybc.ca to receive the Zoom link.
 
For more info: www.dantesocietybc.ca/cultural-events
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THURSDAY, NOV. 26, 5:30PM (PST)
Online

 In partnership with local grocery stores in BC and AB, the Italian Chamber of Commerce has designed a Mystery Box named Sorpresa! (Surprise) for all those who love Italy and its culinary traditions. The Mystery Boxes include a selection of fine foods to prepare an Italian aperitivo and dinner. By buying the Sorpresa! box, consumers will learn new Italian recipes and how to use the products in their box to surprise their guests during the upcoming Holidays.
On November 26th, a free online cooking show will take place at 5.30pm (PST), led by Chef Alessandro from Mangia Cucina Restaurant (Vancouver). Chef Alessandro will showcase a selection of recipes to create the perfect Holidays menu and guide you through a virtual tour to an Italian winery to learn about the most exciting wines to accompany his menu.
Participants who have purchased the Sorpresa! mystery box will receive a preview of the recipe before the event, and will be able to use the ingredients from the box to make the recipe at home, following Chef Alessandro’s live advice.
 
Info: www.iccbc.com
 
To purchase the Sorpresa! Mystery Box: https://shop.iccbc.com/
 
To register for the free online cooking show: https://bit.ly/2JrETad
 
The celebrations for the Settimana della Cucina Italiana nel Mondo will be rounded up by yet another initiative of the Italian Chamber of Commerce: “Italian Restaurant Weeks” is a special promotion that comprises a selection of restaurants and gelaterie located in Vancouver and Calgary. All participating restaurants during the 2- week promotion (November 16th-30th) will be featuring a new item on their menu (a first course, a second course, or even a two-course meal) or an old-time favourite at a special price. For the list of participating restaurants, please visit www.iccbc.com

FRIDAY, NOV. 27, 7:00PM
Italian Cultural Centre – Grand Ballroom
3075 Slocan Street, Vancouver

On the occasion of the 5th Week of Italian Cuisine in the World (November 23-29, 2020), the Consulate General of Italy in Vancouver and Il Centro Italian Cultural Centre present an evening celebrating the excellence of Italian cuisine and one of its most popular elements - pasta. This special evening will feature the creations of Maestro Pastaio, Chef Sergio Cinti, who will prepare a 4-course dinner featuring three pasta dishes from traditional recipes spanning from the north to the south of the Italian peninsula. The event will also include an educational component demonstrating how to make pasta from scratch, following the Italian culinary tradition; how to recognize authentic Italian products and their fake counterparts in north-American markets; and, finally, where to find authentic Italian products in Vancouver’s markets. This educational component will be led by Chef Sergio Cinti.
 
Info and tickets: https://italianculturalcentre.ca

THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 7:00PM
Italian Cultural Centre – Grand Ballroom
3075 Slocan Street, Vancouver

​There is little doubt that Ennio Morricone (1928-2020) was a top-level expression of Italian musical genius: the soundtracks he composed for masterpiece cinematic works such as “Cinema Paradiso” or “The Mission” are unforgettable.

To honour the memory of the late Academy Award recipient, Il Centro Italian Cultural Centre proposes an evening inspired by Morricone’s immortal music for the “spaghetti western” films by Sergio Leone, such as “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”: the menu will reflect that tradition, while Maestro Cos Natola will delight the audience by narrating episodes of the Maestro’s life and by playing live some of his most celebrated tunes.
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This event is made possible by the Consulate General of Italy in Vancouver.

Info and tickets: https://italianculturalcentre.ca

BEGINS NOVEMBER 1
The Cinematheque
1131 Howe Street, Vancouver

The Cinematheque celebrates the centennial of Federico Fellini (1920–1993), one of cinema’s boldest and most beloved maestros, with an extensive retrospective featuring many new restorations. By the mid 1960s, Fellini had attained worldwide fame  for an extraordinary series of free-wheeling, flamboyant, dazzlingly creative films rooted in memory, dream, desire, and fantasy. In the English-speaking world, few filmmakers were more synonymous with the international “art" cinema. The sheer audacity of the imagination at play is simply undeniable — as the works in this retrospective demonstrate time and again. The Cinematheque's retrospective continues in December. Don't miss the chance to see Fellini’s masterpieces on the big screen!

Info and tickets: https://thecinematheque.ca/series/fellini-100

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