Italian
When two fifty-year-olds accidentally cross paths with a rather shy student in the vast Venetian plain, a quiet yet profound journey begins. The film, presented in the Un Certain Regard section at the latest Cannes Film Festival, delicately explores themes of loneliness, connection, and the unexpected bonds that form between strangers.
Directed by Francesco Sossai, and starring Pierpaolo Capovilla (as Doriano) and Sergio Romano (as Carlo), the film follows two drifters in their fifties as they wander in search of an old friend. Along the way, they meet Giulio — played by Filippo Scotti — a shy, almost invisible architecture student from Naples, currently studying in Venice.
This unexpected meeting brings together opposing personalities and contrasting aesthetics, yet bound by a shared need: to tread through life differently, each in their own way, each with their own way of loving existence and the world.
The true protagonist, carrying the weight of guiding the three main characters almost like a sherpa, is the Venetian plain itself — stretching from the province of Treviso to Altivole and all the way to Venice. It serves as the perfect catalyst for a road movie steeped in alcohol, all the way to the final drink, where that last glass — the symbolic “bicchiere della staffa” — takes on a deeply meaningful role.
Yet the towns of the plain rise above clichés — which, in this case, would be a strong temptation — breaking free from stereotypes and conventional imagery. They offer an alluring portrait of a land that ultimately returns to a “flat plain”: a place of refuge, a tender alcove, shaped and mellowed by an alcoholic tone that, no matter how strong, could never strip away the sulfites.
The protective wing extended over Giulio, even beyond the final drink, becomes yet another reason to redraw a geography that moves beyond Veneto and its bucolic landscapes. This small band of wanderers — whose bond, in this coming-of-age journey, takes on a positive, almost redemptive quality — ultimately transforms a simple encounter into an unforgettable journey.
A glimpse for you by Mauro Lama
