A Special Day

May 4, 1938: Adolf Hitler visits Benito Mussolini in Rome. A gigantic reception and parade are planned for the occasion, and everyone in Rome is encouraged to take to the streets. In one apartment building, a mother of six (Antonietta) remains in her flat while the fascist family patriarch takes his children out. In a flat across the way lives a depressed, recently dismissed radio broadcaster (Gabriele). Declared an anti-fascist, he lost his job due to "demoralizing tendencies" and is waiting to be deported to Sardinia. Alone in the building, the two solitary souls meet and develop a brief, intense relationship. On the soundtrack, we hear the radio commenting on the great parade in Rome.

Ettore Scola made this film in a style closely aligned with the neo-realist models of post-war Italy. It offers careful and intimate human portraits of two vulnerable personalities who find connection under disturbing circumstances.

Selected for Focus: Fascism
This is a quiet chamber play exploring the total social conformity of Italian society under Mussolini. While nearly the entire city is out celebrating the two great leaders, we meet two individuals who have retained their humanity and find one another on the fringes of society. The film shines a light on themes such as gender roles, conformity, and the persecution of homosexuals.