Paola Cortellesi’s moving directorial debut opens the new edition of the Rome Film Fest
They called it “dramedy”, a mix between drama and comedy, a definition that fits perfectly There’s still tomorrow. Paola Cortellesi’s directorial debut opened the 18th edition of the Rome Film Fest, praised by the journalists who attended the preview.
Set in Rome, in the mid-40s, There’s Still Tomorrow tells the story of a poverty-stricken woman, Delia, stuck in the role of wife-mother in post-war Italy. Delia lives with her three kids, her grouchy and violent husband, Ivano, and her authoritarian, father-in-law, Ottorino. Both men have clear ideas about what women’s tasks should be: looking after the house and children, without expressing unwanted opinions. Every day, Delia experiences a silent desperation, filled with regrets and hopes. She dreams of a different future for her daughter, who is close to an engagement that would fix the family’s finances. But is that the right choice? The advice of her friend Marisa and the arrival of a mysterious letter will give Delia the chance of a better life, But she has to face many obstacles to make it concrete.
Despite the many films set during the postwar, Paola Cortellesi offers her vision of that period, focusing on the condition of women and their path toward emancipation, a still current topic judging by the recent news stories on gender violence. “The desire to tell the stories of the people who lived immediately after the Second World War inspired my film” explained Paola Cortellesi. I learned those stories from the veterans in my family: my grandmothers, my aunts, my parents.
The actress-turned-director shoots in black and white, choosing a plain aesthetic as a tribute to the great filmmakers of the past, such as Roberto Rossellini and Federico Fellini. Color is in the essence: in the screenplay, halfway between jokes and painful moments, and in the soundtrack that features vintage songs and contemporary tunes.
Joining Paola Cortellesi, who also plays the leading role, a superb cast that stars Valerio Mastandrea, Emanuela Fanelli, Giorgio Colangeli, and Vinicio Marchioni.
There’s Still Tomorrow hits Italian cinemas on October 26, 2023: it’s a must-see film, that tells a piece of Italian history through the story of a woman.
