Pranzo di ferragosto

I loved this movie! It's a little movie that totally captivated me. It's the story of a middle-aged unmarried man who lives in Rome with his mother. Money is obviously tight but they seem to live a very nice life. Unfortunately, the condominium bills keep piling up. So when the head of the condominium offers to forgive the expenses in return for his caring for the condo head's mother for 2 days (over Ferragosto), he agrees. When the mother shows up, an aunt also comes - obviously a packaged deal. Through another act of fate, another elderly woman comes to share the overnight experience. The women are wonderful as is the main actor (Gianni DiGregorio) - he is also the writer and director. He was at the showing I attended and shared some interesting info. These women are not actors. One is his aunt and one is a family friend. He found the other two at a home for the elderly. Said he interviewed 100 women and had trouble deciding because so many were so wonderful. The crew was exhausted at the end of the day - these women were on a roll - and all were over 90 years old. The apartment in which he lived was actually the apartment in which he had lived with his mother. This was a low- budget film which was one of the reasons that he starred in the film, i.e., he couldn't afford to hire a "real" actor. Thank you Gianni for a wonderful movie!

Gianni (Gianni Di Gregorio), who is well into his forties, has no job or income and still lives in his comfortable family home with his ageing mother. She is a capricious but refined woman who requires a lot of attention and even more patience. Gianni offers her those but can barely squeeze a little life of his own in there. When those around him escape from Rome for some fresh countryside air in the mid-summer weekend, he finds himself left behind in the empty city with a motley of elderly ladies.

I suppose many people will amuse themselves wondering if Mr Di Gregorio is playing himself, or at least a little... as the Gianni in the movie is somewhat removed from normal society. He seems to have accepted that he will be taking care of his mother, at the expense of having his own life. This is a rare form of self-sacrifice in our day, and shows, through our own eyes, our expectations of an individual's life. Can you live a full life without a romantic relationship? Can you feel content without being able to provide for yourself (and your family), without perusing some kind of personal development? How far from the ordinary can you be removed and still feel content about your life?

It is not easy. Gianni needs money and yet does not work. Of course if he would work, then who would take care of his mother? Should he be working to be able to pay for a home for her, so that he can start a relationship of his own? Then his mother would be all alone, unhappy and less well taken care of than in the company of her own son. The dilemma of the ageing society laid bare.

When we see the elderly ladies laughing and interacting together, it is almost as if a choice has to be made in society, that either the elderly or the young have to sacrifice themselves for the other. This awkward thought is dispelled later on, at least somewhat, as the characters all find a place for themselves in this unexpected weekend away without leaving. This is a touching and funny film, which should have been released here in May when everyone has one foot at home and the other in a long weekend away. It would have added a nice tie-in with the reality around us.

Gianni (Gianni Di Gregorio) spends the majority of his time looking after his elderly and demanding mother (Valeria De Franciscis). His bills are way overdue and his fellow tenants are becoming uneasy with the fact that he never puts into the kitty. A friend offers to help him out only if he takes his mother and aunt for a while, and soon his once- quiet apartment becomes overrun with chatty and restless old ladies. After a medical check-up, he agrees to take his doctor's mother on board as well. Soon Gianni is struggling with keeping up with the ever- increasing demands and mischievous behaviour from his new inhabitants.

Ending at around the 71 minute mark, this film does quite a lot in a relatively slight running time. It manages to be sweet, funny and moving in a very subtle way, that doesn't completely hit home until after the film has ended. While a film of similar theme may patronise old age and add sentimentality, Mid-August Lunch portrays old age as something to cherish. The old ladies seem to come to life when together, when previously Gianni's mother had been almost melancholy on her own. The bubbly Marina (Marina Cacciotti) sneaks out at night and a panicked Gianni finds her drinking and smoking in a bar, only for Gianni to have trouble putting her to bed later as she flirts and demands to play cards. Grazia (Grazia Cesarini Sforza) uses it as an opportunity to eat baked pasta, something her doctor son has banned her from eating.

I really got a feel for Italian life from the film - family, friends, great food, fine wine. In fact, the whole film washes down like a glass of chianti. This is a lovely little gem from actor-director Gianni Di Gregorio, and it's dealt with in an unfussy and sensitive manner. Di Gregorio also co-wrote the screenplay for 2008's Gomorrah, which I would also highly recommend.

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The cliché of the Italian bachelor living at home with a doting mother who waits on him and prepares his favorite meals is turned on it's head in the delicious Italian treat, "Mid-August Lunch." In this film, unemployed fifty-ish bachelor Gianni (Gianni Di Gregorio) shows respect for his ninety-something mother by taking good care of her and lovingly preparing their meals.

The small family has been living off of credit for some time and is months behind on their maintenance and electric bills for their ancient apartment. The landlord is willing to forgive the dept if they take in his mother so he can get away for the Mid-August holiday. The landlord drops off his mother AND his aunt. And soon the doctor's mother joins the mix. So Gianni must survive the weekend playing good host to four strong-willed shut-ins. What impressed me most was how he never loses his manners but treats these woman with the respect earned by those who have reached a certain age.

This is a film about the joys of entertaining. It illustrates the isolation that comes with aging and our continued need to socialize. There is an Italian saying, "A tavola no s'invecchia," that articulates the theme perfectly, "The passage of time is suspended with experiencing the pleasure of good food, good wine and company."

"Mid-August Lunch" dishes up "slice of life" humor with simple, authentic Italian flavors like those in the perch with potatoes, oregano and rosemary lovingly served at the holiday feast.

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"Pranzo di ferragosto" is one delightful, insightful, funny and unpretentious little cinematic jewel, whose director, script writer and main actor, Gianni DiGregorio, proves to us that it doesn't take a huge budget, big stars, lots of witty dialogs or 120 minutes to make a masterpiece, and one which goes back to the golden age of the Italian comedy and Italian realism.

The story is very simple: Gianni, a middle-aged Roman who lives with his mother in an old Trastevere apartment, is first kind of "blackmailed" by his landlord to take the the latter's mother at his home for the Italian midsummer holiday. He gets more than he bargained for when the mother is accompanied by an unannounced aunt and when later his doctor also asks him to take his mother, in addition to Gianni's own mamma, of course. Each of the old ladies has her own personality, quirks, preferences, etc. and Gianni will have to do his best to keep them all happy. This will lead to a wholly enjoyable 75-minute ride for the viewer.

One thing that I loved about this movie is that it depicts old age in a respectful, humorous and optimistic light -the old ladies are not at all old in mentality and spirit, and they keep enjoying life to the most, each in her own style. I also enjoyed how the film is full of little sketches of very real everyday situations in which we can all see ourselves -sitting with a friend without needing or having any life-changing conversation, looking out to the city while smoking a cigarette, sitting with your family or people you care for, sharing a dinner, having small talk, the joy of reunion and togetherness and the joy of having a home... those scenes were very heart-moving and very meaningful to me.

My rating is 10/10 for a new instant favorite of mine.