Have we forgiven cinepanettoni?

The term "cinepanettone" is usually used to refer to comedies aimed at a wide audience that are released in cinemas during the Christmas period and are, in most cases, characterized by humor based on recognizable stereotypes, sexual innuendos, and caricatured gags, all set in holiday locations. The genre originated with Vacanze di Natale, a film directed by the Vanzina brothers and released in December 1983. The film introduced recurring themes that would characterize almost all subsequent cinepanettoni, helping to codify the genre. Typically, cinepanettoni depict the stories of groups of people from different social and geographical backgrounds who find themselves spending the Christmas holidays in a popular destination. Their interactions lead to bizarre situations, a series of misunderstandings, hidden betrayals, and comical confusions. In the years following the release of Vacanze di Natale, many phrases from the film became catchphrases, further cementing the genre in the Italian cultural imagination.

Numerous sequels followed Vacanze di Natale, including the most famous ones like Vacanze di Natale ’90 (1990), Vacanze di Natale ’91, and Vacanze di Natale 2000. In the early 1990s, Massimo Boldi joined the cast permanently, becoming, alongside Christian De Sica, one of the most iconic faces of what would be remembered as the golden age of cinepanettoni. Cinepanettoni enjoyed great success until the mid-2000s, when the collaboration between Boldi and De Sica ended as the two began appearing in separate and often competing productions. During this period, the films became increasingly repetitive and predictable in terms of scripts, eventually turning into parodies of themselves. Over the years, the first wave of cinepanettoni—starting with Vacanze di Natale (1990)—was reassessed by critics, who acknowledged the ability of the individual scripts to lightly represent certain characteristics of Italian society of the time. Journalist Andrea Minuz summarized it in the Foglio as, "A unique adventure in our film industry." Although intended as commercial films, the early cinepanettoni also had a more auteurial and sociological component that helped them achieve cult status, both among the general audience and cinema enthusiasts. Films like Merry Christmas (2001), Natale sul Nilo (2002), and Natale in India (2003) are credited with humorously portraying what are still referred to as “the vices of Italians”—such as cunning and opportunism, corruption and clientelism, or the culture of "the good life" and ostentation, among other traits.

Understanding the Qualities of Cinepanettoni

The cinepanettone season began at a time when the neorealist-style Italian comedy was considered outdated. Between the 1950s and the late 1970s, auteurs like Dino Risi, Mario Monicelli, and Vittorio De Sica crafted highly recognizable and insightful works that brilliantly represented Italy of that era, blending humor with a slight underlying melancholy. These sophisticated films were highly appreciated by critics. However, by the early 1980s, comedies started adapting to the carefree spirit of that decade, shedding some of the distinctive traits of earlier productions. They became increasingly lighthearted, focusing on a more popular humor aimed at appealing to broader audiences. With cinepanettoni, for the first time, a film was set during the same time frame as its theatrical release, an unconventional choice at the time. The idea came from Aurelio De Laurentiis, the producer of many cinepanettoni, who recognized the potential of this strategy by observing the U.S. film industry, where "instant movies" were gaining popularity in the early 1980s. These films gave audiences the feeling of watching works based on almost current events. In the Italian context, the choice to depict the phenomenon of winter holidays worked well because it captured certain typical dynamics of the era, encapsulating all the behaviors of the middle class and making cinepanettoni not just entertainment films but also a kind of social mirror.