THERE’S STILL TOMORROW – Review by Leslie Combemale
Oh, There’s Still Tomorrow (C’è Ancora Domani), where have you been all my life? As much as I cover female-helmed and fronted films, I can’t believe I’m only just hearing about this gem. Though it won six Italian Academy Awards, it’s only just releasing in the US on March 7th. Beautifully filmed in black and white, it captures the feel of the Italian neorealism of the 40s and 50s. The script is tight and believable, and credit is due, in part, to director Paola Cortellesi, who, impressively, is not only the co-screenwriter, but also stars as lead character, Delia.
The story takes place in Rome, just after World War II, when allied troops are still patrolling the streets. Delia (Cortellesi) is a harried, exhausted mother of two boys and a teenage girl, Marcella. She works multiple jobs, cares for her moody, thankless father-in-law, and tries to keep her abusive husband’s beatings to a minimum. When her daughter falls for a bourgeois boy in town, she sees a way out for her. Delia can only dream about escape with the local car mechanic Nino, who loves her. All these goings-on of her life are happening at the same time that the first Italian general election allowing women to vote is coming up, offering her a new
The mastery of storytelling, some of which flirts with magical realism with its soundtrack that echoes plot, will captivate viewers from the beginning of There’s Still Tomorrow. Cortellesi has a way of balancing nostalgia with the blunt realities for women in post-war Italy. Railing against the patriarchy wasn’t just donning a t-shirt, it meant potentially risking life and limb. For a film about marital abuse, Cortellesi does a great job at providing moments of levity, even if dark humor is her way to lift the mood. Delia is a heroine to be reckoned with, a character who brings “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade” to inspiring reality onscreen. See this film while it’s in theaters.
5 out of 5 stars
