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Film: “Quo Vadis, Aidas?”
In “Quo Vadis, Aidas?”, Aida Selmanagić carries a massive burden. She must commit to her duties as a translator and help protect her town [...]
Call him Cassandra
I recently participated in a panel discussion held in Stockholm that purported to address two only vaguely related subjects, historical revisionism and climate change. [...]
Four little peppers
I love peppers — at least the red, yellow, and brown peperoni, the Spanish pimientos de Padrón, the hot little pepperoncini, and the young [...]
Fraternal heretics
My ailing plumber resides in one of Dante’s less agreeable “new normal” cellars. He is desperately ill with liver cancer and its predatory offshoots, [...]
Securing the set
In late October, film-making faced its worst-case scenario. On the New Mexico set of the Western “Rust,” the actor Alec Baldwin inadvertently shot and [...]
Letter from Milan
In October, I was finally able to return to Milan, where I lived for almost thirty years. I had not visited since 2018 — [...]
A shaky Union
These are difficult times for the European Union. As it marks the twentieth anniversary of the introduction of its common currency, the euro, Union [...]
Study abroad… at home in Iowa
I’m spending the fall in Iowa as part of my doctoral degree program. It’s like study abroad — but in my hometown. The university [...]
What’s New
Securing the set
In late October, film-making faced its worst-case scenario. On the New Mexico set of the Western “Rust,” the actor Alec [...]
Letter from Milan
In October, I was finally able to return to Milan, where I lived for almost thirty years. I had not [...]
A shaky Union
These are difficult times for the European Union. As it marks the twentieth anniversary of the introduction of its common [...]
Study abroad… at home in Iowa
I’m spending the fall in Iowa as part of my doctoral degree program. It’s like study abroad — but in [...]
Film review: “Dune”
Film is by its nature larger than life. Science fiction filmmaking takes that a step further by trying to create [...]
Italy’s two COVID faces
Italy continues to represent something of a paradox when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, which it has handled [...]
Mortal man’s dilemma
To you, the readers of this oration of mine, my scrawl, I must immediately confess two truths. My name is [...]
Ash to ash
In the years before his death earlier this year at the age of 89, my erudite brother had turned away [...]
Tea and oranges
An old friend calls to have a chat. We say this and that, exchange helloes, answer each other’s “How are [...]