New films from Italy this week:
La seconda volta non si scorda mai has been doing reasonable business, but looks to lack much appeal for international audiences… it’s a romatic comedy about a young estate agent (Alessandro Siani) who falls in love with an old schoolmate (Elisabetta Canalis) who shows around an appartment after not seeing her for years. unfortunately, she’s engaged to a rich, older man… Director Francesco Ranieri Martinotti has had some success in the past and won awards for his documentaries, but this isn’t one I’ll be rushing out to see.
Another comedy, Riprendimi (aka Good Morning Heartache), did well at Sundance, but has flopped pretty badly at the box office (takings of 70,000 euros in it’s first weekend, an average of c1,000 euros per screen). This is another one of those films that’s so reflective as to be almost unwatchable for anyone not in the industry, which seems to be a common fault nowadays… a documentary crew are making a film about an acting couple appearing in a stage play, and they witness all the trauma of their break up and… yawn, sorry, I’ve lost interest. I know that you’re supposed to base your stories on stuff that’s close to you, but please… Variety seemed pretty unimpressed as well
Possibly the most interesting film of the week showed in just one screen and took €3000. According to IMDB, All’amore assente goes something like this:
A detective is investigating on Andres Carrera, speech-writer of a politician man. Andres disappeared during the electoral campaign. The detective slowly ‘penetrates’ in Andres’ life: he begins to live at Andres’ home; to work at Andres’ office; to meet Andres’ parents; to seek a sort of relation with Andres’ wife and colleagues. The election campaign is going on, but nobody can write so ‘poetic’ and so ‘politic’ speeches as Andres did. What is the secret of his speeches? Why his nickname was “Whitman”, like American poet? Why Andres disappeared and where he is now? And why the detective is so interested in it, beyond his professional task? Maybe being in relation with Andres parents and wife will reveal every solution to the detective. Or it will include everything in a dream…
Director Andrea Adriatico made the curious Il vento di sera (04), and this has a curious cast: Fellini regular Milena Vukotic has a biggish role, as does director Tonino Valerii, and Eva Robins also pops up for a cameo.