Massimiliano Finazzer Flory returns to New York with two events that intertwine art, history, and Italian cultural identity. The first, scheduled for Tuesday, April 30 at 6:30 PM, is the screening of The Patron – The Myths of Villa Arconati in English with Italian subtitles at the Italian Cultural Institute of New York, located at 686 Park Avenue. The film, which premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival under the Italian title Il Mecenate, is a documentary that breathes new life into the figure of Galeazzo Arconati—regarded as the first modern patron of the arts—and offers a contemporary reflection on the role of the collector as a promoter and guardian of culture. The screening will be personally introduced by the director and author.
The documentary moves between myth and history, through the sculptures of Diana and Hercules, the labyrinths and satyrs of Villa Arconati, the tragedy of Laocoön, and the restoration of the monumental statue of Pompey the Great. It is not merely an aesthetic narrative but a gesture of cultural resistance. Through the voices of scholars such as Pietro Marani, Silvia Romani, and Matteo Nucci, the film reaffirms that myth is not decoration, but a living language that weaves together body, faith, and reason—and one that still has the power to educate and guide. As Finazzer Flory notes, “To be a patron means protecting not only works of art but also the artists themselves.”
The film concludes with a reflection on the relevance of patronage in an increasingly technological world. The director envisions new patrons as builders of borderless cultural communities, capable of reviving a “mental Renaissance”—a mindset that dares to challenge the present and nurture more conscious generations. In this sense, Il Mecenate is not just a film about the past, but a concrete proposal for the future, where beauty becomes a project of knowledge and culture a living good to be shared.
Massimiliano Finazzer Flory is no stranger to these hybrid experiences, where stage and screen become tools of cultural dissemination. As an actor, director, and author, he has turned theater into a medium for giving voice to the greats of Italian literature and thought. From his “impossible interview” with Leonardo da Vinci to Verdi Reads Verdi and Dante, Fortunately for Us, his work stands out for its ability to blend historical research with evocative power—always maintaining an accessible and universal language.
Dante himself will be at the center of the second event featuring Finazzer Flory this week in New York. On Friday, May 2 at 6:30 PM, he will perform a theatrical reading in Italian of selected passages from the Divine Comedy, set in the evocative atmosphere of the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral at 261 Mott Street. The event, introduced by Don Luigi Portarulo and part of the celebrations leading up to the 2025 Jubilee, offers a unique opportunity to rediscover the grandeur of Italian poetry in a spiritually and symbolically rich setting.
Accompanying the performance will be cellist Julia Kent, renowned for her ability to merge classical and contemporary sounds into an emotionally charged musical tapestry. The dialogue between voice and cello is designed to convey the dramatic and meditative depth of Dante’s verses. A convivial gathering with light refreshments will follow the performance, encouraging participants to connect and exchange impressions.
