Opening 12 Jul 2007
Directed by:
Nanni Moretti
Writing credits:
Nanni Moretti, Heidrun Schleef, Francesco Piccolo, Federica Pontremoli
Principal actors:
Silvio Orlando, Margherita Buy, Jasmine Trinca, Michele Placido, Giuliano Montaldo
Opening with a bad B-movie about a monstrous wonder which the public hated, the film then cuts to Director Bruno (Silvio Orlando), who explains that his film was a hit in Poland. He tells why he hasn’t made any recent movies, and adds that he will do so soon, one about Christopher Columbus. As he leaves, a young woman, Teresa (Jasmine Trinca), hands him a script and begs him to read it. With one leap from the frying pan into the fire, Bruno faces trouble on all fronts: his long-term employees quit, the bank wants to close his business down and his wife demands a separation. Only his kids are loyal, as he soon finds himself displaced and forced to live in his office. Bruno begins to read the script from Theresa, which is a political thriller. He is convinced this is a film that needs to be made, and the timing is perfect. The film is about Berlusconi and his media empire along with his political career, a subject that most of the Italians are afraid to touch. But Bruno must really go out on a limb for this film since literally no one wants to be the main actor. It also looks at how Italians face their problems and how difficult it is for them to directly deal with those problems. The movie has its ups and downs but uses humor as a vehicle for political self criticism. This film by director Nanni Moretti was in competition at the Cannes film festival this year. (Shelly Schoeneshoefer)
