There's Still Tomorrow

Rome, May 1946. Delia is beaten regularly by her husband Ivano, works several jobs and carries the whole household. When her daughter Marcella becomes engaged to a wealthy man, Delia acts. The smartest move is the ending. The audience is expecting an escape, and the envelope in Delia's pocket looks like a love letter or a ticket. What comes out is her voter registration for the constitutional referendum, and she votes for the first time in her life. Liberation is not running; it is casting a ballot. Paola Cortellesi directed, co-wrote and stars, her first film as director. It is shot in black and white. In Italy it became an event. It was the highest-grossing Italian release of 2023, beat both Barbie and Oppenheimer at the Italian box office, and became the ninth highest-grossing film ever in Italy, passing Benigni's Life Is Beautiful. At the 69th David di Donatello Awards it turned nineteen nominations into six wins, including Best New Director and Best Actress for Cortellesi. It also won at the Sydney Film Festival and the Golden Rooster Awards. Who it is for: viewers interested in period drama and the history of women's rights. Who it is not for: anyone unprepared for the violence. The film sometimes stages domestic abuse to a comic rhythm, and that choice does not sit well with everyone.