Looking at emotional independence we may ascribe it to being completely over a past romance or in control of a current relationship. In Visconti’s White Nights – Le notti bianche (1957), we see how the character of Mario (Marcello Mastroianni) gradually and surely becomes emotionally dependent on Natalia (Maria Schell). Only when Mario acknowledges that Natalia belongs to another, we can start see the transition into emotional independence, or put differently, Mario’s rational takes over his emotions. When you actually need to compromise your emotional aspirations and keep them at bay. Similar symptoms we can find in Antonioni’s The Outcry – Il Grido (1957), yet with one difference; Aldo’s (Steve Cochran) complete emotional dependence on Irma (Alida Valli) is never resolved and drives him into his dramatic fate.

Sometimes financial independence is exchanged for emotional dependence; Cabiria in Fellini’s Nights of Cabiria – Le Notti di Cabiria (1957), appears to project both emotional and financial independence, but internally she is extremely vulnerable to the point she puts her heart and money in a scoundrel that robs her out of both. That’s not always the case, sometimes financial independence is solid, but through the passage of time, it empties up emotions and turns them backwards into nostalgic flair. The older Toto (Jacques Perrin) in Torantore’s Cinema Paradiso (1988) is a big shot director that carries an emotional void to his past – his old village, his mentor, first love and the cinematic masterpieces of his youth that serve as memory milestones of time and places long gone.

Whereas the family structure is missing in older Toto’s life, then in Gabriele Muccino’s Remember Me My Love – Ricordati di me (2003), we get to see a middle class, financially stable family, where time erodes emotional ties among its members. Each one is on a separate trajectory to find emotional compensation to add meaning to their existence. And like in Cinema Paradiso, searching the past to help the present, Carlo (Fabrizio Bentivoglio) turns to an old flame.

Political independence is also a recurring theme in Italian cinema, from heroic stories of resistance against all odds as depicted in Francesco Rosi’s Salvatore Giuliano (1962), Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers – La battaglia di Algeri (1966) or Visconti’s The Earth Trembles – La Terra Trema (1948), to name a few. The ingredients include a deprived minority that struggles to better its conditions by being able to control its destiny and well-fare. The battle not always succeeds (La TerraTrema) and involves painful sacrifices in effort to attain an elusive independence.

Movies can attempt to tell a story that might appear as realistic, and authentic. Yes, I can relate to this emotional independence or its lack thereof – it also happened to me. Yet, the way I see it, behind every movie there is a personal story the director is trying to convey. Unfortunately, 99% of the time, we as spectators cannot possibly be exposed to the depth of details that caused the director for example, to pick those particular job candidates in Olmi’s The Job – Il Posto (1961), as an expression for his views about work, neorealism and choice of non-professional actors, in this case true job seekers that can easily convey genuine in-context facial and body language. So what we’re left with is viewing the movie independently through our personal past experiences or future aspirations – as guides to extract meanings. If there is a nice alignment, we may come out liking the movie, if not then this patchwork of moving images with musical layering – was simply unmoving.

Checking the dictionary, I found this definition:

The state or quality of being independent; freedom from dependence; exemption from reliance on, or control by, others; self-subsistence or maintenance; direction of one’s own affairs without interference.

Pretty much covering the usual suspects. Regardless, you know what your independence truly means, that fine balance between being in control and the need to depend on trusted sources in order to form a logical sense of it all.

This is an intense shot on reality. When we say the eloquence of silence. He makes the silence speak. Slowly, sweetly, deeply. Black and white, and we are already into a poem. Every single shot is a portrait of truth. It’s amazing the power of these images. We don’t need to speak to be understood if who is watching us can read a little deeper. Sorrentino can really drill through the soul of his characters.

A strong message towards the truth. A kind of, just be yourself. But also a message of being close to others, because anything in life is related to others. The match, with your companions, and the team work. And no matter who they are, young, old, father, friends, they are your team players. You have to trust all of them.

Very interesting the choice of a rugby match, an unusual sport in Italy, that gives the sense of team, of fighting together, where the compact strength of the group is very important.

A masculine message if you want, a message for men. However with no macho input at all. Instead an invitation maybe to reconsider the natural meaning of being a man, from the basic.

The location. A field in the suburbs of a big town. Where we think a strong message of hope is even more needed. And where the ground for simple values could be uncertain as well as more natural at the same time.

The characters. A simple working class family, very sweet and very true. There is this strong tight shred that links the whole thing. The grandma, the father, the mother, the son. What a cute picture. The family, an important value to support and to pursue for mutual benefits of all its components. Family as the first strong starting point for building a good sense of trust towards yourself, the others and the future. It’s a lovely movie, intense and rich. And artistically wonderful.

Buona visione.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Can movies, as mirrors to reality, change it and give hope, especially in dark moments?

The answer is resounding yes, but “Per Fiducia” (”Through Trust”), a spirit-lifting project that with its three films wants to show the positive values that animates and drives Italy today.

When you think of all the myriad of phenomena we take for granted such as legal contracts, airport baggage checks, surveillance cameras, keys, borders and so on – these are all elements that were invented as a result of a slight “bug” in the human brain that sometimes takes over: the need to “game” the system at the expense of others.

And since most people got hit too many times, the issue of trust has become a well-regarded currency you share with just a few people you absolutely know and have established relationships with. Your best friend asks you can you lend me your car this evening I have an important date? Sure thing! Coming from a stranger – no way!

Maral Kinran and Stefania Berselli in a moment of uncertainty

In this film, director Ermanno Olmi returns to a familiar environment he has already explored in Tickets (Ermanno Olmi, Abbas Kiarostami, Ken Loach – 2005) – the train. The film tells the story of 3 teenagers that ride the train after winning first prize in a science technology contest for a smart, yet fashionable bracelet designed for kids with diabetes.

The contest is over, the temporary rush of winning was great, but what next? The prototype still needs money in order to turn it into a real product. Matteo (Matteo Bessone) ponders deeply this question. His partners, Stefania (Stefania Berselli) and Maral (Maral Kinran) reflect on this as well, as their faces are reflected in the window, superimposed over the moving landscape. Where are we headed? What’s in store for us when we get there?

Trains have been used in many films to portray life line itself. We’re all passengers who share the same train for just a short while. The movement forward indicates the passing time towards an unknown future, where the stations may signify milestones or opportunities along the way.

The chance encounter of the teenagers with the important professor (Maurizio Marchetti), on the train, initially plays out the common distrusts we come across when facing with sudden requests from complete strangers.

In this case, I liked the utter silence that came out from the professor’s collaborator (Marco Constantini). This is Olmi’s at his best. The person who speaks (professor) and shapes the reality is minor to the facial expressions of those that surround him, in this case the collaborator – that processes the verbal exchange and without saying a word, projects an utter distrust. Less is so much more.

The soundtrack with its grand entrance-feel of trumpets keeps reminding us of new beginnings; new ideas by young generations that take place everywhere. They may be delayed here and there due to some temporary setbacks, but they will finally arrive and make their mark.

The film’s universal message is loud and clear. Despite human innate suspicion due to the above described “bug” and occasional superficiality (enter Susan Boyle case), sprinkling a bit of trust around us can go a long way for a far better world.

Try it next time, you’re faced with the instinctive urge to dismiss something as distrustful and not help.

You can view the entire film below (10:15 minutes), and with English subtitles – here:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I found this film very interesting, especially when viewed through the prism of The Bicycle Thief (Vittorio De Sica – 1948). Both effectively depict the rigid patriarchal family structure with its concrete male beliefs of serving as the ultimate provider no matter what and the tendency to hide problems from the spouse. In both films we see the husband seeks help from his friends first and the friction it brings when the wife finds out later.

Unlike The Bicycle Thief, where the cause for job loss is the instrument for working (i.e., bicycles), in this film it seems the male pride and stubbornness have a central role as they were the root cause for tensions between the husband (Antonio Albanese) and a new business partner with different perspectives – tensions that mushroomed into a job loss.

The film goes through the dramatic changes that affect the family as they’re spiraling down both emotionally and economically, having to leave their posh condo into a small flat, husband working as delivery guy, selling status symbols like their boat and artworks. Margherita Buy plays the wife who sacrifices her career to support the dwindling resources of the family.

From a distance of 60 years, circumstances may be different in Bicycle Thief, but human nature seems to be constant in both films. It’s all about lack of communication, dominant male ego that needs to go full circle to realize that at the end, he shouldn’t carry a bitter load alone, it’s about a couple, a family that unites to face challenges together. And from this togetherness comes hope.

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