Francesco Bruni's Heart-Wrenching Story of Strength in the Face of Uncertainty

Today is the last day of Cinema Italian Style’s virtual film festival. Having already seen several of the films in other virtual festivals this year, there were just four left to see. I had a feeling that Francesco Bruni’s “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” was going to be heavy on the emotions, so I kept putting it off. Then today I watched it and wow, what a masterpiece.

Bruni’s writing and direction brought to life this heart-wrenching story of a guy in his mid-40s diagnosed with leukemia and his journey with treatment. When you cry during the first five minutes of a film, you know you’re going to be emotionally invested. But I also laughed as much as I cried, thanks to Bruni’s sense of humor and sharp writing skills. The film’s perfect casting drove the story home. Kim Rossi Stuart in the lead role was at times unrecognizable as his character, Bruno, was undergoing treatment. He’s one of contemporary Italian cinema’s treasures. I remember seeing him in the Taviani Brothers’ 2015 “Wondrous Boccaccio” and not realizing it was him until reading the credits. He really has a talent for transforming himself into his characters.

Bruni dedicated the film to Mattia Torre, a screenwriter and director who passed away last year at 47 after losing his battle with cancer. He wrote "Kidz," which is also in the lineup of this festival, and was a close friend of Valerio Mastandrea who starred in the film alongside Paola Cortellesi. He’s been outspoken in his admiration for Torre and has publicly mourned him with several tributes.

Francesco Bruni attended the 2012 edition of Open Roads: New Italian Cinema where he presented his debut feature film, “Easy.” Before that, he worked as a screenwriter, often collaborating with Paolo Virzì. He has a genuine talent for storytelling. His films are consistent and move with a lot of ease. I think that’s hard to achieve as a writer.. but he has definitely mastered the ability to do so and has made it his art.

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