FILMS

This suspenseful drama is set against the backdrop of the rise of Italian fascism in the 1930s and the increasing oppression of its Jewish community. Luciano, a WWI veteran and non-committal member of the fascist party, runs a local restaurant in the picturesque provincial town of Ascoli Piceno. Complications arise when he falls in love with Anna, a woman who works in the restaurant and is hiding her Jewish identity. A love triangle, a shocking murder, and stellar performances by an ensemble cast combine to capture the era’s oppressive atmosphere and the cost of personal survival in this gripping tale. (Adult content: sex)

Official Selection: Toronto Jewish Film Festival, Miami Jewish Film Festival, New York Jewish Film Festival

Winner: Italian Film Festival USA – Best Film

“…a really involving, melancholy story of prewar fascist Italy, an old-fashioned romantic drama with the storytelling ardour and the melodramatic flourish of page-turning commercial fiction.” 4 of 5 stars – Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian