You Say Baarìa, I Say Bagheria

For the first time in two decades, the reknowned Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica di Venezia (the Venice Film Festival) will open with an Italian title. The festival, which takes place this year from September 2-12, will showcase "Baarìa—La porta del vento," the latest feature from Giuseppe Tornatore. The Italian director is best known for his 1988 film Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, which won the Oscar for best foreign language film. His new movie is an autobiographic epic of three generations in the Sicilian village of Bagheria, where he was born (pronounced "Baarìa" in the local dialect).

The subtitle of the film alludes to one possible etymological derivation of the town's name; some sources claim that it derives from the Arabic Bāb al-Gerib, or "windy gateway." (hence la porta del vento). The film will be presented in two versions—one in local dialect for Sicily and a version in Italian for the rest of Italy.