Italy

Synopsis

Tommaso is the youngest child in the large, eccentric Cantone family who own a pasta factory in Puglia: his mother Stefania is loving but suffocated by bourgeois conventions; his father Vincenzo has unrealistically high expectations of his children; his aunt Luciana is an eccentric; his sister Elena a frustrated housewife; his brother Antonio works with their father at the pasta factory; and then there is his rebellious grandmother, trapped in the memory of an impossible love. Tommaso, an aspiring writer, has come home from Rome for an important family dinner at which his father will hand over the management of the pasta factory to him and his brother. Determined to assert his own personal choices, Tommaso plans to announce at the dinner that he is gay. But that evening, just as he begins to say “silence please”, he is upstaged by his brother who, to Tommaso’s surprise, and everyone else’s shock, reveals his own secret! Vincenzo orders Antonio of the house, kicking him out of the family and the factory. He then collapses from a heart attack and the family is overwrought. Tommaso reluctantly steps in to run the factory but his heart isn’t it. He misses his friends and his life in Rome, but how can he come out now and risk damaging his father’s health further? A surprise visit from his friends forces the family secrets to the surface with other surprise revelations in this warm, generous and moving comedy.

Director's Statement

My view of the family is a traditional one and especially in this film I felt very strongly about the presence and power of the relationship between a father, mother and children. At the same time, I also wanted to consider the families of friends and all of those strong relationships that go beyond family ties. I chose Lecce because the first time I visited this city, eight years ago, I fell in love with it. In any case, I wanted to set this film in Southern Italy with its peculiarities, classical architecture and traditions. There is a marvelous atmosphere in Lecce which comes from the beauty of its architecture, the surrounding landscape and the excellent food; a mixture of things that made me want to set one of my films there. The result was stupendous, and we received an extraordinary welcome. I have to say that following this Lecce experience I feel stronger; so many new people have entered my life, many new friends from the Salento area who I hope will continue to be a part of my life for a long time.
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Cast & Crew

Directed by: Ferzan Ozpetek

Written by: Ferzan Ozpetek, Ivan Cotroneo

Produced by: Domenico Procacci

Cinematography: Maurizio Calvesi

Editing: Patrizio Marone

Production Design: Andrea Crisanti

Original Score: Pasquale Catalano

Cast: Riccardo Scamarcio, Nicole Grimaudo, Alessandro Preziosi, Ennio Fantastichini

Nominations and Awards

  • European Composer 2010
  • People's Choice Award 2010
  • Feature Film Selection 2010