Piergiorgio Bellocchio Movies

This unusual and offbeat historical drama rests on a little-known conceit. Though seldom discussed in history books (and reportedly undisclosed for half a century), fascist dictator Benito Mussolini conceived an illegitimate son by a woman named Ida Dalser -- a son Mussolini allowed to be born, acknowledged, and then promptly denied for the duration of his life. The tale begins in early 20th century Milan, with Benito (Fabrizio Costella) working as the socialist editor of a controversial newspaper called Avanti. His dream in life involves triumphantly leading the Italian masses away from monarchy and toward a "socially emancipated future." He met the young and wealthy Ida (Giovanna Mezzogiorno) once before, in Trento -- where they enjoyed a brief exchange; they re-encounter one another during Mussolini's period at Avanti and it becomes clear that Ida has fallen deeply in love with Benito. She believes wholeheartedly in his ideals and his future as the leader of Italy -- to such an extent that she sells everything she has (her apartment, furniture, jewelry, and the beauty salon she owns) to fuel the development of his newspaper, Il Popolo d'Italia.

While the two become romantically entangled, with Ida positively magnetized by Benito's charisma and Benito hooked on a lust for power, Benito quickly switches spiritual and political allegiances overnight, changing from an atheistic socialist to a deeply Catholic fascist -- Catholic, because an allegiance with the Vatican will enable him to wrest and retain control over Italy's government. Benito and Ida marry and parent a son together, Benito Albino Mussolini (circa 1915), but the marriage certificate soon conveniently disappears and Ida learns, to her horror, that Benito has married someone else. She unwisely begins to protest the situation -- so loudly and persistently that she's first forced into house arrest and then shoved permanently into an insane asylum -- raising key questions about the fate and future of her young son. On a stylistic level, director Marco Bellocchio films this historical material with the passion, theatricality, lyricism, and tragedy of a classical Italian opera. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

A young couple, Chiara (Maya Sansa) and Ernesto (Pier Giorgio Bellocchio, the director's son), follow a real estate agent through a nicely secluded apartment, which they subsequently rent. They then begin doing some strange renovations. It turns out that they're not a couple at all. They're members of the Red Brigade, and the apartment is going to be used to house a kidnapped government official. Good Morning, Night is established writer/director Marco Bellocchio's take on the kidnapping of Aldo Moro, president of the Christian Democratic Party, which rocked Italian politics in the late '70s. Bellocchio tells the story from Chiara's point-of-view, as her romantic relationship with fellow cell member Primo (Giovanni Calcagno) and her allegiance to their strident leader, Mariano (Luigi Lo Cascio), is gradually shaken as she begins to develop respect and affection for their hapless captive, Moro (Roberto Herlitzka). She also begins to feel attracted to Enzo (Paolo Briguglia), a co-worker at her office job (a front for her more radical activities) who has similar political leanings, but strongly disagrees with the Red Brigade's tactics. Chiara spends hours watching Moro in his "cell" through a peephole, as he defends his political actions in a mock trial conducted by Mariano. As negotiations for Moro's release falter due to the government's hard-line stance, Chiara begins to fantasize about helping him escape. Good Morning, Night (the title comes from a poem by Emily Dickinson) was shown at the 2003 Venice Film Festival, where it won the Little Golden Lion, the "CinemAvvenire," and an award for Bellocchio's screenplay. It was also selected for the 2003 New York Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Lajla (Koina Rousseva Stefanova), a refugee from Mostar, travels to her office cleaning job. Meanwhile, Egyptian glassblower Mamud (Emad Ibrahim) leaves his Rome restaurant job, kidnaps his baby daughter from an orphanage, fails to find shelter with a friend, and breaks into an apartment where Lajla is working as a part-time housekeeper. Initially wary, the two eventually find that each is the other's savior. This film is part of the Another Country in My Eyes series; others in the series are Antonio Manetti's Torino Boys, Rachid Benhadj's The Tree of Hanging Destinies, and Roberto Giannarelli's Di Cielo in Cielo. Shown at the 1997 Locarno Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

The brothers Marco and Antonio Manetti wrote and directed this comedy about Rome's Nigerian community. Recent arrival Nike (Juliet Omoniji) hopes to find romance with Torino boy Eby (Paul Anthony Anderson) when he travels to Rome for a soccer match, but Eby's Torino girlfriend (Jennifer Bola Akinemi) creates an unexpected hurdle. A parallel story is intercut to follow another young woman who travels to Italy from a poverty-stricken Nigerian village and gets a big welcome from those who plan to exploit her. This film is part of the "Another Country in My Eyes" series that also includes Francesca Pirani's The Apartment, Rachid Benhadj's The Tree of Human Destinies, and Robert Giannarelli's Di Cielo in Cielo. Shown at 1997 film festivals (Turin, Locarno). ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

A mix of reality, fiction, documentary, and fantasy make up this personal, semi-autobiographical statement from director Marco Bellocchio. While vacationing in Val Trebbia, Bellocchio has a (fictional) falling-out with his wife. This contretemps is offset by the arrival of friends for the usual evening socializing. Interspersed in this portrayal of life as it is are imaginary scenes of Native Americans, Roman soldiers, and surreal constructs such as journeys along dangerous rapids. Everything builds to an inevitable personal crisis that must be handled, one way or another. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi