In post-war Italy, housewife Delia is in turmoil over the impending engagement of her beloved daughter Marcella. The arrival of a mysterious letter, however, ignites Delia’s courage to face her cruel husband and imagine a better future. Paola Cortellesi’s captivating black-and-white melodrama soared to the top of the Italian box office in 2023, making it the most successful film ever directed by an Italian woman.

Reviews

‘With meticulous design, and Davide Leone’s pitch-perfect camerawork, this is a thoughtful, emotionally satisfying, immensely entertaining one-off, with an ending that smartly dynamites our expectations.’
★★★★
Jonathan Romney, The FT

‘This is storytelling with terrific confidence and panache.’
★★★★
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian