Black and white drama with 5 million views. a film phenomenon that shakes Italy

November 2023. 22-year-old student Julia Cecchetin was stabbed by her ex-partner in the suburbs of Padua. Italy has one femicide too many: 106^e of the year, but the first who raised such a wave of indignation in the country. Calendar matching. Two weeks before this drama, the Roman actress Paola Cortellisi released her first directorial film, There’s still tomorrow. After this published news, there is an unprecedented response to the fate of its heroine, a woman married to a violent man, who seeks freedom in 1946 Italy.

With 5 million hits since its release, the film is over the top barbie And Oppenheimer at the national box office. Tsunami. “This film hit Italy,” comments the director. It wasn’t expected, but probably responded to the need for a theme behind our news. Word of mouth quickly became favorable for him.’

A portrait of hope

If this portrait of a woman speaks of control and physical abuse, it also offers hope. not only does Delia (played by Corteles), a mother of three, allow her daughter to escape her fate, but she also finds her salvation. at a historical turning point. “I wanted to make a film about the status of women and tell a story from the past that resonates to this day, based especially on the memories of my grandmothers and great-grandmothers. When I read a children’s book about women’s rights to my daughter when she turned 9, I decided to anchor my story in 1946, the year women got the right to vote in Italy. Despite the theme of domestic violence, which is discussed here along with the difficulties for women to find their place in a patriarchal society, Paola Cortellesi achieves a tour de force. The neorealism of Rossellini, Fellini or Antonioni.)

The film, which thrives on a soundtrack that dares to be anachronistic, addresses domestic violence in a roundabout way through Delia and her husband’s choreography. “The dance allowed me to tell the story of this horrific ritual that leaves psychological and physical scars, and during which Delia almost leaves her body. I didn’t want to show blatant violence with gross details that would distract the viewer from issues of emancipation and transference. The language and style of the film may also provide an opportunity to raise awareness among younger audiences or those who are a priori wary of these topics.”

Open the debate

Since its release, the film has been widely screened in schools and attracts a large number of the younger generation to theatres. Victory of the film director. “I am proud that my film opens the debate, but first of all we need to integrate sentimental education in school, which is based on respect for others and oneself. Teach the smallest one the concept of consent, teach that no always means no, that a woman does not belong to a man in any way…” Every 72 hours in Italy, a woman dies at the hands of her partner.

“For too long, women have been taught to endure and men to control them, thus allowing them to imagine that violence and mistreatment are tolerable for those who deviate from their rules. Past generations have fought for the progressive emancipation of our rights and speech, but the culture of patriarchy in Italy and in our societies more broadly is difficult to eradicate. This leads to dirty news, but also wage disparities. Making this film also meant that these things go on, that we’ve got a social legacy that we have to get rid of.”

Help from the MeToo movement

Before stepping behind the camera, Paola Cortellesi struggled to convince the film world of the potential of her story. And that, despite his popularity. At 50, the actress-director is a star in her home country, gaining notoriety for her debut as a TV host, an award-winning performance in a TV movie about Maria Montessori, and roles including a remake. Dad or Mom?. “My producers fell in love with the scriptThere’s still tomorrow, but didn’t immediately break out the champagne. A black and white historical film about violence against women is an unattractive combination for investors. Funding didn’t happen overnight… But since the launch, we’ve toasted more than once.”

If it didn’t create the same wave in Italy as it did in the United States, the MeToo movement would also help, particularly by raising awareness of the need to bring out other stories, offer new perspectives, and carry the voice of female artists. . “It is important to support female directors, to give them the opportunity to express themselves, regardless of the film’s theme or genre. It is also important for me to clarify that raising issues related to women is not only the responsibility of women. We can also shoot action films, thrillers, science fiction… Moreover, the representation of a more complex female character on our screens should also be carried by men.

The director believes in the power of cinema to restore the balance of our societies and change the way of thinking. She says she has received several testimonials from women who were inspired by her film. “The role of art is to bring other perspectives, to help you form your own thoughts, to create stimuli. A hot topic like violence against women often needs to exist first in the artistic space before being discussed in the public space.” The road is still long, but he is convinced that “there is still tomorrow” to win the fight.

There’s still tomorrow By Paola Cortelesi, Romana Maggiora Vergano, Valerio Mastandrea and with… Released March 13.