While waiting for the brain surgery of his daughter Angela, victim of a motorcycle accident, the surgeon Timoteo recalls his torrid affair with and passion for Italia, a simple woman from slums in the periphery of the big city where he lives. The ghost of the beloved and sexual object of desire Italia chases him in his memories.
Acting
Cruz is magnetic, raw, and completely transforms herself.
Direction
Castellitto directs himself with brutal, unflinching honesty.
Cinematography
Bleach-bypass look makes every frame feel like a fever dream.
Director
Sergio Castellitto
Penélope Cruz
Italia
Sergio Castellitto
Timoteo
Claudia Gerini
Elsa
Marco Giallini
Manlio
Pietro De Silva
Alfredo
Vittoria Piancastelli
Raffaella
Elena Perino
Angela
Renato Marchetti
Pino
Gianni Musy
Padre Elsa
Lina Bernardi
Madre Elsa
Paola Cerimele
Infermiera Molise
Giorgio Careccia
Tipetto magro
Pietro Castellitto
Timoteo bambino
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Penélope Cruz learned Italian phonetically for this role and had to be dubbed in post-production for some scenes.
The film adapts Margaret Mazzantini's semi-autobiographical novel; she and Castellitto are married, making his direction of these intimate scenes a fascinating artistic collaboration.
GB
IT
