Women Filmmakers in the Spotlight at the Rome International Film Festival

I saw a very intense short film last night at the Rome Independent Film Festival directed by a woman and starring a woman. L’Attesa (The Wait) follows a mother who is frantically trying to locate her son after she hears about a terrorist attack in London where he is studying abroad.

The film is 24 minutes long and is carried entirely by actress Lucianna De Falco. Her performance was so subtle yet intense, you could not help but think of Anna Magnani. De Falco is a character actress who has appeared in numerous movies over the years and has worked with the likes of Lina Wertmuller, Ferzan Ozpetek, Carlo Vanzini and Paolo Genovese. One of her more recent roles was in Ammore e malavita by the Manetti Brothers.

The short film was directed by a 23-year-old Neapolitan writer/director named Angela Bevilacqua. This is her second film. She actually made her first when she was just 17. The Theater of Memories premiered at the 44th edition of the Giffoni Film Festival. She published her first novel two years ago.

I was blown away when she was introduced as the director of this film last night because she is so young. I find it amazing that a 23-year-old can write and direct the part of a middle—aged mother so precisely and sensitively. Angela Bevilacqua is a great new talent that I am sure we will be hearing much more from in the future.

We talked with both women last night and will publish those interviews as soon as we get them translated and subtitled.

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