Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi

Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi
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Works as film critic and journalist who covers stories about culture and sustainability. With a degree in Political Sciences, a Master’s in Screenwriting & Film Production, and studies at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, Chiara has been working in the press since 2003. Italian by blood, British by upbringing, fond of Japanese culture since the age of 7, once a New Yorker always a New Yorker, and an avid traveller, Chiara collaborates with international magazines and radio-television networks. She is also a visual artist, whose eco-works connect to her use of language: the title of each painting is inspired by the materials she upcycles on canvas. Her ‘Material Puns’ have so far been exhibited in four continents, across ten countries. She is a dedicated ARTivist, donating her works to the causes and humanitarians she supports, and is Professor of Phenomenology of Contemporary Arts at Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan.
Works as film critic and journalist who covers stories about culture and sustainability. With a degree in Political Sciences, a Master’s in Screenwriting & Film Production, and studies at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, Chiara has been working in the press since 2003. Italian by blood, British by upbringing, fond of Japanese culture since the age of 7, once a New Yorker always a New Yorker, and an avid traveller, Chiara collaborates with international magazines and radio-television networks. She is also a visual artist, whose eco-works connect to her use of language: the title of each painting is inspired by the materials she upcycles on canvas. Her ‘Material Puns’ have so far been exhibited in four continents, across ten countries. She is a dedicated ARTivist, donating her works to the causes and humanitarians she supports, and is Professor of Phenomenology of Contemporary Arts at Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan.

‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’ Is Missing a “B” In The Title: Boring

The premises of the new film directed by Kogonada are thrilling. A wonderful cast: Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell in the leading roles, supported by Kevin Kline and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. A fantastical plot: portal doors that open up to a path of self-discovery. And a screenplay written by Seth Reiss, who was critically acclaimed for The…

TIFF: ‘Nuns vs. The Vatican’ Dismantles The Holy Patriarchy

Cinema, television and media have been exposing more and more the shady business inside the Catholic Church, whether it was through the Paramount+ series Murder of God’s Banker, Netflix’s miniseries Vatican Girl: The Disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi or the Academy Award-winning film Spotlight. Through the years several dark sides of the Vatican have been exposed….

CJFC: ‘Laugh, Everyone’ Celebrates The Art Of Spreading Joy

Founded in 2021, the Chicago Japan Film Collective will celebrate its 5th anniversary with the Backstreet Cinema Series taking place from September 2025 until February 2026. This series highlights films that capture “the spirit and scenery of Japan.” One of the movies of the programme, that conveys the beauty and nostalgia towards Nipponic traditions, is…

‘Riefenstahl,’ A Cogent Look Into The Life Of The Unapologetic Nazi-Era Filmmaker

The winning film of the Cinema & Arts Award at the 81st Venice Film Festival arrives in the star-spangled nation. Through this documentary, filmmaker Andres Veiel makes a compelling portrait of one of the most controversial women of the 20th century, a filmmaker entangled with the Nazi party: Leni Rifenstahl. Riefenstahl uses a variety of…

‘Sunday Best’ Is A Profound Cinematic Portrait Of Ed Sullivan


The world of journalism changed from before the digital era. With the advent of television, information and entertainment have walked hand in hand, reshaping news anchors into the infotainers(reshaping the landscape of television with its cutting-edge approach to Infotainment). Several of these figures had a solid background in journalism and brought their ethics within the…

‘Rather,’ Frank Marshall’s Homage To An Icon of Journalism

©Courtesy of Giant Pictures Those who thought that 21st century whistleblowers — such as Julian Assange, Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning — have been groundbreaking opposers of fake news, will have to think again. A 20th century journalist shared their line of thought in his approach to reporting: Dan Rather. The documentary that bears his…

Films Across The Festival Circuit That Question The Anthropocene

Human dominion on Earth is epitomised by the Anthropocene. Our species has become the main cause of all the phenomena that have warped the balance of organisms, land, water, and the atmosphere. If the dark side of mankind has channeled its rationale to exploit the resources of the Earth, the bright side has encouraged the…

‘Ravens’ Is An Imaginative Biopic Delivered With Magic Realism / NYAFF

British, film director Mark Gill — after an Academy Award and BAFTA nomination for his 2014 short The Voorman Problem and after his feature debut with England Is Mine — returns to the silver screen with an exquisite piece. Ravens instills magic realism in a biopic about Japanese photographer Masahisa Fukase. Gill’s second feature premiered…

‘Life After’ To Die Or Not To Die, That Is The Question Thrust Upon The Disabled

Who holds the right to decide whether a life is worth living? What factors determine the quality of a human existence? Should their be limitations to the right to die with dignity? All these questions are explored by disabled filmmaker Reid Davenport in his investigative documentary Life After.  The motion picture — which was presented…

Japan Cuts: ‘A Samurai In Time’ Marks The Comeback Of Jidaigeki

The fantasy comedy picture A Samurai In Time, directed by Jun’ichi Yasuda, focuses on the time travel experience of Kosaka Shinzaemon (Makiya Yamaguchi). He is an Aizu samurai from the Edo era, who is struck by lightning and is transported to the film studios of 2007 Japan. It will take some time for this 19th…