Special Presentation: Posso entrare? An Ode to Naples with director Trudie Styler in attendance

Naples is a city with a reputation. A city of culture, of creativity, but also a city of chaos and criminal neglect. Director Trudie Styler confronts the challenge, the intrigue, and the complexities of this unique city. Allowing the people of Naples to tell their own story reveals a city of generosity and cruelty, a city of light and stark shadows.

Italy, 2023, 103 minutes
Director: Trudie Styler
Distributor: Rai Cinema

Director Trudie Styler will be in attendance at her screening and will take part in an on-stage interview with CBC’s Ali Hassan following the film.

Trudie Styler

Trudie Styler is a film director, producer, actress, human rights activist, environmentalist, organic farmer and winemaker.

For over 25 years Styler’s productions championed first-time writing and directing talent, producing, among others, award-winning films such as Guy Ritchie’s first two movies LOCK STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS (1998) and SNATCH (2000), as well as Duncan Jones’ first movie MOON (2009) for which she won the BIFA for Best Film.

Styler has also produced and directed several award-winning documentaries. For example, MOVING THE MOUNTAIN (1994), directed by Michael Apted, won her the IDA Award in 1994 and the Crystal Heart Award from the Heartland Film Festival 1994. THE SWEATBOX (2002), directed by Styler and John-Paul Davidson, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

In 2011, Styler formed Maven Pictures in partnership with Celine Rattray, with the remit to promote female talent and diversity in the film industry. Maven’s production credits to date include, amongst myriad others, FILTH (2013); STILL ALICE (2014), for which Julianne Moore won an Academy Award; Andrea Arnold’s AMERICAN HONEY (2016) which won the Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival in 2017; NOVITIATE (2017), which won, among other awards, the Special Jury Prize for Breakthrough Director at Sundance for Maggie Betts; THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER (2018), which won the Directing Award for Sara Colangelo at Sundance 2018; SKIN (2018) which won the FIPRESCI Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival; HUMAN CAPITAL (2019); DRIVEWAYS (2019) which won two posthumous best actor awards for Brian Dennehy and an NBR Award; WITH/IN (2021), a series of short films made by writer/actors under strict lockdown conditions; UNICORNS (2023); and THE BURIAL (2023). Projects in post-production include Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut ELEANOR THE GREAT (TBA) and CHRISTMAS KARMA (2025) with Gurinder Chadha.

Styler’s debut narrative feature film as a Director, FREAK SHOW (2017), an adaptation of James St James’s best-selling novel, was released in January 2018 and was nominated for three awards at the Berlin International Film Festival 2017 as well as the Audience Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2017.

Most recently, Styler directed POSSO ENTRARE? AN ODE TO NAPLES (2023), which won Italy’s prestigious Globo d’Oro for Best Documentary as well as Documentary of the Year awards at the Capri and Ischia Film Festivals. Before being commissioned by RAI Cinema to create the film, Styler had only visited Naples briefly. Nonetheless, she approached the city with the same verve for humanity and storytelling that’s driven her career and allowed the narrative to develop naturally and through the perspectives of the Napolitan people. Styler roamed the city, knocking on doors and asking ‘Posso Entrare?’ (‘May I come in?’), whereupon the locals generously shared their lives and city with her. It was only after taking the time to listen that the focus of the documentary became clear: to explore the on the ground work of the people in Naples who everyday are taking care of each other and their community. The documentary aims to present Naples beyond the popular stereotypes and media representations, from the perspective of a witness and investigator, and invites its audience to see the city through the eyes of its inhabitants and to understand their deep connection to their home. @trudiestyler

Director Trudie Styler on the streets of Naples

Ali Hassan

Ali Hassan is a stand-up comedian, actor, author, and broadcaster. He is the host of the hit CBC Radio comedy show Laugh Out Loud, and for the past eight years has hosted Canada Reads, CBC’s “Battle of the Books”. A television and film actor, Hassan was recently nominated for Canadian Screen Awards for his roles in two shows: Run The Burbs and the Peabody-Award winning Sort Of. In 2023, Hassan began touring his one-man show, Does This Taste Funny?, based on his decade in the food industry. His comedic memoir, Is There Bacon in Heaven?, was described by Rick Mercer as “perhaps the funniest and most heartfelt Canadian memoir yet.” @standupali