Mid-August Lunch

Italy director: Gianni Di Gregorio 2008 / 75 min. / Italian VERSION WITH CZECH SUBTITLES cast: Valeria De Franciscis, Marina Cacciotti, Maria Calì, Alfonso Santagata, Grazia Cesarini Sforza, Gianni Di Gregorio

It’s no secret that many Italian men stay at home with mamma until they get married, or at least until she finally kicks them out into the big, bad world. But this low-key Italian charmer takes that idea to extreme lengths. Gianni is a placid Roman in his fifties who lives with his elderly mother, Valeria, a refined 80 year old who always looks like she’s dressed for dinner at the Ritz back in 1963. One Oriental saying goes, 'Moments of crisis are moments of opportunities'. That appears to Gianni during the celebration of the holiday of Ferragosto on 15 August, when everybody leaves town to have fun. That very day, opportunity knocks on Gianni's door in the most unexpected way…