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There's Still Tomorrow

This is a very strange film - is it a domestic violence comedy? A neo-realist fantasy? A kitchen-sink musical? All of these sound wrong but director (and star), Paola Cortellesi manages to combine the disparate elements into a unique concoction. Set in post-war Rome, the film opens with Delia (Cortellesi) saying good morning in bed to her husband, Ivano (Valerio Mastandrea), only to receive a hefty backhander. Her reaction tells us this is not an unusual occurrence in her life, as the rest of the family are introduced - a couple of shit-headed boys, a grown-up daughter, and an irascible father-in-law. Cue a glorious slow-motion credit sequence of Delia walking along her local street, getting on with the day's duties. The accompanying musical track is pretty incongruous, another oddity in this head-scratcher of a film (though not as surprising as when an Outkast song bursts in).

The story revels in the time and place, and the black and white cinematography, by Davide Leone, is exquisite. The characters, too, are great fun, especially Delia's friends and neighbours. But it's the bizarre nature of the story and the fluctuating tone that sticks its claws in and holds the audience's attention. The gear changes are off the scale. For example, as Ivano is preparing to assault Delia for some perceived slight, the lighting dims, the music rises and the beating is performed as a stylised dance number. Another moment sees Delia share some chocolate, given to her by an American Military Policeman, with her old flame, Nino (Vincio Marchioni). The camera swirls around, like in a swoony rom-com, as they smile at one another with chocolate-coated teeth.

Cortellesi is having fun with this but the underlying themes of violent patriarchy in post-war Italy and the hopefulness of the impending women's suffrage are always visible. The skill lies in the ability to pull this off without everything crashing down. It's closer to surrealism than neo-realism, more Dali than De Sica, but the tonal shifts are blended well enough to enable you to take what you will from the film as a whole.

The plot revolves around daughter, Marcella (Romana Maggiora Vergano) and her parents' joy when her long-term boyfriend finally proposes marriage. The scene of the future in-laws coming to Delia's run-down house for lunch (see above) is a masterclass in writing for tension and awkwardness. The snide comments about the meal from the mother, the father offering Ivano a 'real' cigarette, Delia's boys effing and jeffing throughout, and the cherry on top, a surprise entrance from Ivano's papa, who was supposed to be locked upstairs. This is the excellent centre-point of a fine film.

The black comedic elements are ramped up towards the end - there's a mystery nonna at a sombre funeral, mourners change their mood at the offer of coffee, a raft of insults are passed as prayers by Delia and her friend Marisa (Emanuela Fanelli) over the open casket. All great stuff. And finally, the film has time for a rug-pull at the climax, which did me up like a kipper but offers the chance for hope in this ultra-conservative climate. This was apparently the highest grossing film of 2023 in Italy - seems like it hit the right buttons domestically.

There's Still Tomorrow (or C'e Ancora Domani) screened as part of the St. Ali Italian Film Festival, There are a few final screenings on Oct 20-23 at the Luna Leederville and Freo, Palace and Windsor cinemas. It's also opening in Nov at Luna after the Italian Festival has finished. See it if you can.

See also:

Roberto Rossellini's Rome, Open City (1945) is a brilliant kind of ancestor to this film, and Nigel Cole's Made in Dagenham (2010) shares some of Tomorrow's themes.

SPOILERS IN POD!!!

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