Synopsis

Young acting student Sofia is devastated when she discovers that Bruno, her beloved teacher, is gay. Fleeing by train, she finds an abandoned newborn and decides to raise him as her own, naming him Bruno. Years later, her carefully constructed story begins to unravel when she encounters both the teacher from her past and the child's birth mother.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film was released in Italy in 1999, runs approximately 92 minutes, and was presented at the 1999 Venice Film Festival in the Cinema del Presente section.

• The screenplay was written by Giuseppe Bertolucci, Lidia Ravera, and Mimmo Rafele.

• Letizia Cinematografica produced the film, with Medusa Film handling its Italian distribution. Film Export Group was listed for international sales.

• Its visual approach was described as expressionistic and dreamlike, with nighttime settings and decaying interiors reinforcing the story's atmosphere of uncertainty and emotional dislocation.

• The soundtrack was composed by the Italian ensemble Bevano Est.

• Francesca Neri received the 1999 Grolla d'Oro for Best Actress for this film and "Matrimoni."

• The film earned three David di Donatello nominations in 2000, including Best Actress for Francesca Neri, Best Supporting Actress for Rosalinda Celentano, and Best Sound for Tullio Morganti.

• It also received three Nastro d'Argento nominations in 2000, recognizing Neri, Celentano, and production designer Gianni Silvestri.

• The title is framed by poetry: contemporary criticism noted the use of a verse by Sandro Penna at the beginning and one by Attilio Bertolucci at the end.