FCW 2025: A few Words with the bartenders between a lot of Cocktails
Florence Cocktail Week 2025 has begun, and our new cocktail bar, The Orientalist, is officially open. Let's have some fun with the bartenders: "If Your Bar Was a Movie, What Would It Be and Why?"
LEONARDO POLVANI - RESIDENT BARMAN AT THE ORIENTALIST:
If my bar were a movie, it would be Cocktail. Because, just like the film, our bar is full of energy, passion, and the desire to create something exciting and memorable. Cocktail is a classic that perfectly represents the art of making something special, just like we do at The Orientalist. The movie has that perfect balance of flair, creativity, and showmanship behind the bar, which is what we aim to deliver. And of course, Tom Cruise's character embodies the spirit of youth, ambition, and the pursuit of excellence—traits that resonate with the vibe we create here. He starts off with raw energy, but like any great bartender, he learns that the key is not just in the tricks, but in connecting with people and understanding what they truly want. That’s the heart of hospitality, and it’s what we strive for every day at The Orientalist.
RAFFAELE ORLANDO - ROSEWOOD:
If my bar were a movie, it would definitely be The Prestige. Not only for its impeccable direction, but because behind every cocktail there’s a structure, a rhythm, and a hidden trick. Like in a film, each drink has three acts: the promise (the idea), the twist (the unexpected ingredient), and the prestige (that moment when the customer’s eyes light up). The bar is like a small stage where a different show is performed every night, with the audience and actors changing, but the magic remains. Theater taught me the value of time, silence, and interpretation, while Nolan’s films made me appreciate complex structures and surprises that come at the end. A well-functioning bar, like a film, bends time, transforms people, and creates small masterpieces every night.
PIETRO LOREFICE - PALAZZO EXPERIMENTAL:
If the bar were a movie, given the aesthetics of 'Palazzo Experimental,' it would definitely be set in The Grand Budapest Hotel. The direction would be by Christopher Nolan, with us lost in his space-time delusions. The screenplay (which wouldn’t be original, or else we'd be asking for the rights, haha) would be written by David Lynch; I don’t know if you're ready for this journey into our minds. To top it off, Wes Anderson would step behind the bar to adjust our posture to improve the shot. The soundtrack for the entire film would be All’una e trentacinque circa by Vinicio Capossela.
ANDREA POMO - BRAND AMBASSADOR SANTA TERESA
Rather than a movie, I imagine my bar more like a TV series, filled with suspense and constant plot twists, much like Lost. For me, a bar is all about people—people with important and unique stories who, whether they realize it or not, will eventually become connected with others in some way. I love my job, I love hospitality, and everything that happens in Lost—both the positive and the negative—represents life itself.
