C’E ANCORA DOMANI/  THERE’S STILL TOMORROW

Italy, 2023, 117 minutes, Colour.

Paola Cortellesi, Valerio Mastandrea, Ramona Maggiora Vergano, Emanuela Fanelli, Giorgio, Colangeli, fVinico Marchioni, Francesco Centorame.

Directed by Paola Cortellesi.

This is quite a striking film in its own right. However, it was the most successful Italian film commercially in Italy in 2023, and one of the most all-time seen Italian films. It is the work of popular singer and actress, Paola Cortellesi, who collaborated with the screenplay, directed her first feature film and plays the central character.

The setting is Rome, 1945-1946, the aftermath of Italy’s defeat in World War II, the presence of American GIs still in the city. The setting was the subject of a number of Italian films of the period, particularly Roberto Rossellini’s Roma, Citta Aperta (Rome, Open City) and of Vittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves. The visual style, black-and-white photography, highlighted realism and had the title Neo-realism.

Now, almost 80 years later, Paola Cortellesi has decided to make her film in this style, once again striking black-and-white photography, a great sense of realism, a focus on ordinary people, their lives, their interactions, their fears and hopes.

One of the main reasons for the impact of this film is its portrait of a housewife and mother, Delia, in an Italian patriarchal society and family. In fact, the startling opening of the film, the wife awakening, her husband in bed turning and slapping her. And, throughout the film, there is repetition of this kind of domestic violence and abuse, subjugation of the wife, patriarchal presuppositions about the role of women, but also the effect on the new generation, especially the couple’s teenage daughter who is to be engaged, and has this model of marriage hovering over her.

While the initial impression of Delia is that she is completely downtrodden, her husband’s doormat, the screenplay soon indicates that she has a larger life of her own, is involved with work around the city, injections for the homebound, sewing and mending, close women friends, especially at the market. And, she has great care for her daughter and the prospective engagement which excites her.

But, the family is poor and the daughters the fiance comes from a self-made wealthy family (indications of wartime black market exploitation) and a key scene in the film as the in-laws to a meal, waited on by Delia, dominated by her husband, the wealthy family condescendingly sneering. The meal is a calamity.

Delia has encountered an African-American GI, friendly, even though they cannot communicate by language – he will have a significant role, offscreen, in the future of her daughter and the prospects of her marriage with the wealthy young man.

Delia also encounters a mechanic, who has loved her in the past, she still having emotions for him.

The climax, for those who don’t know their Italian history and politics of the time, is something of a surprise, not quite expected, but a strong moment when Delia asserts herself, supported by her daughter, to her husband’s dismay.

Well worth seeing.

1. The title, hopes? Delia’s life, the past and present – and hopes for the future?
2. The film with Italian sensibilities, the people in Rome, the impact of World War II, the defeat, the American presence? The transition from the King to an independent nation? The patriarchal society?
3. The recreation of the settings, the suburbs of Rome, homes, shops, streets, the aftermath of the war? American GIs in the streets? Use of black-and-white photography, echoes of the films of Rossellini and De Sica?
4. The shock of the opening, Delia, waking, Ivano, his slapping her? Immediately the impact of the patriarchy? The role of women, subservient? Life in the house, Marcella and the other children, attitude towards the father, towards the mother? Her seeming helpless, the housework, the children to school…?
5. Husband leaving for work, Delia coming alive, a different person, her qualities, intelligence, seeing her at work, the injections, meeting people, that gratitude, her sewing, the woman at the store giving her work, payment? Her friend at the market, conversations, shopping? A different person?
6. Delia trapped in the traditions of the past, the outbursts of her husband violence, her reactions, submission, the strange experiences of his wanting to dance with his wife, her succumbing? Making excuses?
7. Delia and her friend from the past, the mechanic, the conversations, pausing, the angry car owner wanting the mechanic back? Audiences anticipating that she might move away with him? Her friend from the market encouraging her? The other women in the street, sitting, working, gossiping, criticisms of Delia? Their own lives, the experiences of the war? The fights and clashes?
8. Marcella, the young man, together, the observations of family, the gossips? The scenes together, young love? Her age? The issue of the engagement? The preparation for the dinner, the prospective in-laws, Marcella anxious? The background of the in-laws, black market, financed during the war, their ice cream parlour and success, this snobbery? The meal, awkward, the food, Delia subservient, serving, Marcella embarrassed, the food, the reaction of the wife, their daughter, the son and his love for Marcella? The speeches, the talk, the drink? Delia and her fall? Their leaving and going to the ice cream parlour?
9. Delia, her listening to the young man, his talking with Marcella, echoing the sentiments and behaviour of her husband? Her previous encounter with the sympathetic GI, language barriers, friendliness? Offscreen and her collaboration with him, the fire and the ice cream parlour? The ruin of the family, their having to withdraw, the breaking of the engagement?
10. The mysterious letter, Delia and her pondering it, throwing it away, getting it again? The continued pressure from her husband and his behaviour?
11. The fact of the grandfather living in the house, ailments, his patriarchal attitudes, dependence on Delia, the conversations with his son, urging him to be better? The family going to Mass, Delia checking on her father-in-law, finding him dead, leaving him but not saying anything? Her planning and packing, audience anticipation, her alibi with her friend from the market, everybody coming to the house?
12. The decision to leave, the revelation that she was going to vote, the role of women, audience surprise that this was her intention, the confrontation with her husband, dropping the document, her husband’s reaction? Her hurrying to vote, the crowds of women, the lineup, discovering she did not have the document? Frustration, sadness? Looking down on the crowd, her husband looking at her? Marcella having retrieve the document and giving it to her mother? Her voting, her sense of achievement?
13. This vote, for the future government of post-war Italy, the role of women, the challenge to patriarchal society?