Weekly Dose of Italian Culture #24
Welcome to the 24th Edition of Weekly Dose of Italian Culture!
Italian Movie
Le fate ignoranti (2001, The Ignorant Fairies) is a drama about a recent widow who discovers her late husband had been having an affair with a man for years. In her search to understand his secret life and bisexuality, she becomes immersed in a close-knit, LGBT community made up of marginalized individuals from all walks of life. The film doesn’t offer a neatly wrapped happy ending, but it’s a thought-provoking story that explores love, identity, and acceptance.
Italian Song
The song of the week is Cuoricini by Coma_Cose, which was presented at the 2025 Sanremo Music Festival. A very catchy tune if you ask me.
Famous Italian
The famous Italian of the week is Peppe Vessicchio (1956 —). Vessicchio is a musician, composer, and conductor who became a beloved figure in Italy thanks to his regular presence at the Sanremo Festival starting in the 1990s. The phrase “Dirige l’orchestra il maestro Peppe Vessicchio” is forever ingrained in the minds of most Italians.
Italian Landmark
If you love cats and ancient ruins (quite the combo, I know), you should check out Largo di Torre Argentina, a historic square in the heart of Rome, known for its impressive ruins and… a lot of free roaming cats. The space has become a de facto sanctuary for stray cats, cared for by “gattare” (cat ladies) and other volunteers.
Pop Moment
During an appearance on the TV show Fantastico 7 in 1986, comedian Beppe Grillo launched into a bold comedic rant, mocking the powerful Socialist Party and its leader, Bettino Craxi. (Correctly implying that they were corrupt.) The stunt led to his ban from television for several years, with only a handful of appearances thereafter. However, Grillo later found new platforms, gaining widespread popularity through his political and comedic theater performances and online blog. Eventually, he took things even further by founding his own mainstream political party, the Five Star Movement (M5S).
Italian Dish
Cannelloni, not to be confused with cannoli (a dessert), are large tubes of pasta typically filled with a mix of ricotta, spinach, ground meat, and optionally other ingredients. They are usually covered in tomato sauce or béchamel and baked in the oven until golden. They are a staple of Italian cuisine, especially popular for Sunday lunches and during the winter holidays, as an alternative (or in addition) to lasagna.
Italian Proverb
I panni sporchi si lavano in famiglia.
(Dirty clothes are washed at home.)
This proverb serves as a reminder of the importance of keeping private matters, especially contentious ones, to ourselves and not oversharing with others.
Italian Custom
L’8 marzo (March 8) is International Women’s Day. While it has been slowly gaining recognition in North America, it’s been a big deal in Italy for decades. A long-standing tradition is to gift yellow mimosas (the flowers, not the cocktail) to the women in your life. On this day, streets, workplaces, and cafés across Italy are filled with women carrying bright yellow flowers.
And on that note, happy belated International Women’s Day to my female followers.
I hope you enjoyed this edition of Weekly Dose of Italian Culture. A presto!