HER WHOLE LIFE AHEAD (TUTTA LA VITA DAVANTI), 2008, Motorino Amaranto, 89 min. Isabelle Ragonese plays Marta, a philosophy student who, while searching for work in her chosen field, works in a call center after a chance meeting with a young working mother (Sabrina Ferilli). A biting satire on Italian society in which director Paolo Virzi is not afraid to say what’s on his mind. Brilliant performances, including Elio Germano (MY BROTHER IS AN ONLY CHILD).
LESSONS IN CHOCOLATE (LEZIONI DI CIOCCOLATA), 2007, Cattleya, 98 min. Dir. Claudio Cupellini. Building contractor Mattia (Luca Argentero) is about to close his biggest deal when his illegally hired worker Kamal (Hassani Shapi) is injured and threatens to sue unless Mattia takes his place in an advanced course for pastry makers. Mattia has no choice but to pretend to be him, discovering a way to bring his and Kamal's disparate cultures together.