FACING WINDOW

Italy, 2003, 106 minutes, Colour.
Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Massimo Girotti, Raoul Bova, Filippo Nigro, Serra Yilmaz.
Directed by Ferzan Ozpetek.

Director Ferzan Ozpetek migrated from Turkey to Italy and has made all his films there, including Hammam and Le Fate Ignoranti. He incorporates themes of migration into all his films. He also includes themes of sexual identity, especially issues of homosexuality.

Facing Window is a very moving film, well worth seeing. It opens in Rome in 1943 with the German occupation and a murder which is not explained until the latter part of the film. We appreciate the identity of the killer when the action moves to 2002 but are not sure of his guilt or not. This gives an edge to the film.

The focus is on a young working-class couple with two children. She is an accountant in a chicken factory. He works in a trucking station on the night shift. They have two children. They take care of an elderly man in the street, find that he has lost his memory and bring him to their home. He changes their lives. The wife (Giovanna Mezzogiorno) is acerbic and critical. In her initially reluctant helping of the man, she discovers where her true values life both in the work she wants to do and in her relationship with her husband and her attraction to the bank manager whom she sees out of the facing window. In a sequence where she looks across from the facing window at her own apartment, we see the emotional conflict between a new life and valuing what she has.

Massimo Girotti, veteran of more than 60 years in Italian films, brings great dignity to the role of the old man, a deep humanity that affects all those he contacts. It is through him that a quiet plea for judging people beyond their sexual orientation is made. This is a satisfying Italian drama.

1. The work of Ferzan Ozpetek? The Turkish migrant working in Italy? His perspectives on Italian society, Italian history? World War Two, the Jews in Rome? Issues of sexual identity, homosexuality? The incorporation of all these themes in this film?

2. The 1943 sequences, the atmosphere of the war, the Nazi occupation, trouble in the ghetto? The rescue as well as the murder? The 2002 settings, the ordinary workers, the apartments, workplaces? The streets and the authentic atmosphere of Rome? Davide’s house, his catering, the cakes and sweets? The musical score?

3. The title, the symbolism of the window, Giovanna looking out across to Lorenzo, Lorenzo looking at Giovanna and her family? A gap, a bond?

4. The impact of the prologue, the close-up of the baker’s face, the tension between the two, their running, the fight, Davide and his stabbing the baker? The mystery of why he did it? The transition to 2002? The flashbacks, the young woman, Davide and his memories in the restaurant, dancing, the young woman, Simone, his gazing at him? The final revelation of the truth, his overhearing the baker doing a deal with the Gestapo? His warning people and saving them, women and children? His not saving Simone first despite his love for him? The significance of the letter in the coat pocket?

5. Davide and his loss of memory, on the bridge, the encounter with Giovanna and Filippo? His going home with them, staying, going to sleep, the meal, with the children? The gift of the television and video games? Going to the police station, out with Giovanna, Lorenzo finding him outside the pub? His final disappearance? Giovanna and her reading the letter, finding him? His regaining his memory, cooking with her, the beautiful cakes? His housekeeper and her story, his having saved her? Her return, his urging her to follow her talent? His advice, the finesse of his cooking and recipes? The final glimpse of him, an old man, his heroics, his subsequent life, regrets?

6. Giovanna and Filippo, their age, the two children, the apartment? Her work at the chicken factory, supervision, checking on illegal workers, her doing the accounts? The breaks, the friendship with Emine, the cigarettes, the discussions? Her assertiveness, being cranky? Her irritation with Filippo, seeing him as a failure, not holding down jobs, not getting the day shift? The meals, her antagonism towards Davide? Her gradual change, going out with him, listening, his wisdom, at the hotel, his being lost, his going to the shop? Her beginning to understand, going to the drycleaners with his clothes, discovering that Filippo had not gone to the police? At home, with the children, the discipline of her obsessive daughter, the young boy? Relationship with Filippo, sexual encounters, her passion and her dissatisfaction? Her looking out the window at Lorenzo?

7. The meeting with Lorenzo in the pub, helping with Davide, their discussions, the meetings, the phone calls, the kiss? Her options? Emine’s advice? Her going to his apartment, the kissing, her looking out the window - seeing the family and her final decision? Going to see him off but his having gone?

8. Filippo, his love for Giovanna, his relationship with the children? The scenes at home? His sense of failure, not keeping down a job, his parents giving him the house? His tension with Giovanna, sexually? Her being cranky with him? The opening and the walking on the bridge and his niceness compared with her aggression in the supermarket? His care for Davide and not taking him to the police station? A future together, his new job, the reconciliation?

9. Lorenzo, seen from the facing window, his women friends, in the pub, helping Giovanna find Davide? His infatuation with her, his being transferred from Rome, his advances towards her, the meetings, the coffee, the kiss? Her going to the apartment – and her leaving? His leaving Rome?

10. The children, the obsessive little girl, her demands, taking after her mother? The friendship with Davide?

11. Emine, her husband, the Turkish background, his African background, the children? Prejudice against them? Her helping out minding the children? Friendship with Giovanna at work? Advice about the illegal worker, about her having an affair? Her devotion to the family?

12. Davide and the woman that he saved, her keeping house for him, her care for him, explaining the story to Giovanna?

13. A credible story, credible characters, working-class background in Rome, the historical aspect of the film, the war, German occupation, Nazis and the Jews? The issues of sexuality – Davide and his explanation of his relationship with Simone, the letter and his never having received it, the fact that he rescued all the people – trying to show himself a hero to his people and that they would accept him and his sexual identity? A quietly compassionate plea for tolerance of homosexual relationships? A humane film?