“There’s Still Tomorrow”, interview with director Paola Cortellesi

March 28, 2024

Paola Cortellesi, director, "There's Still Tomorrow", her directorial debut, box office success and connecting with audiences

During the Cinema Made in Italy festival in London, Fred Film Radio spoke with renowned Italian actress Paola Cortellesi about the making of her directorial debut, “There’s Still Tomorrow“.

She shared how, alongside her acting career, she has been writing scripts for some time but it was this story she felt most compelled to make first. Set against the backdrop of World War II and women gaining the right to vote in Rome, the movie, shot in black and white, tackles issues of domestic violence, patriarchal oppression and toxic masculinity, yet explores these themes through a surprisingly lightness of tone more akin to a dramedy than hard-hitting drama.

Paola Cortellesi gave some insight into the unique way her film plays out and her feeling that this has helped make urgent and still-prevalent problems in contemporary society more accessible to audiences. We also discussed how the film has struck a chord with cinemagoers in Italy and beyond, particularly with women, with it beating the likes of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” at the box office.

Finally, Paola Cortellesi shared that she was keen to make more movies but would like to skip the “difficult second” and skip straight to her third after the resounding success of her first.

“There’s Still Tomorrow” screened at Cinema Made In Italy, organised by Cinecittà.

Plot

In post-war Rome, a city torn between its newfound liberation and the miserable aftermath of the Second World War, Delia (Paola Cortellesi) is seemingly resigned to her traditional role of wife and mother. Her husband Ivano (Valerio Mastandrea) is the undisputed master of the family. Delia sees her daughter Marcella’s (Romana Maggiora Vergano) engagement to her middle-class boyfriend, Giulio (Francesco Centorame), as Marcella’s chance to avoid the same fate as her. Everything suddenly changes when a mysterious letter arrives and fires up Delia’s courage to overturn convention and start wishing for a better life – and not just for herself.

Written by: Sarah Bradbury

Guest

Paola Cortellesi