Greta Gerwig’s Barbie may be the most financially successful film directed by a woman and the highest-grossing film of 2023. However, in Italy, it was surpassed by There’s Still Tomorrow, directed by Paola Cortellesi, which tackles the issue of violence against women.
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie may be the most financially successful film directed by a woman and the highest-grossing film of 2023. However, in Italy, it was surpassed by There’s Still Tomorrow, directed by Paola Cortellesi, which tackles the issue of violence against women.
The film There’s Still Tomorrow (C’è Ancora Domani), directed by 50-year-old actress, writer, and singer Paola Cortellesi, premiered in cinemas across Europe, including the UK. The film, which became a phenomenon in Italy last year, outperformed both Barbie and Oppenheimer in terms of revenue.
As of last month, the film has grossed approximately £31.5 million in cinemas, making it the biggest film of the year in the country and the most successful film directed by an Italian woman.
Cortellesi says she still can’t believe the success of the film. “No-one could ever have predicted the wave of participation and affection from audiences over this movie,” she says.
“I’ve been an actress for nearly 30 years, and I’ve written scripts for the last 10 years, now I’ve made my first film aged 50. And to share the screen and the box office with a huge film like Barbie, that also deals with the experiences of women, it’s got to be a good thing.”
One reason for the significant impact of There’s Still Tomorrow in Italy is the portrayal of the protagonist Delia (portrayed by Cortellesi) suffering severe physical and emotional abuse from her husband. Delia is a housewife and mother living in post-war Rome in 1946 when Italian women first gained the right to vote.
However, the film’s story also sheds light on contemporary Italy. According to recent statistics, in 2023 alone, a total of 120 women in Italy, approximately one every three days, were killed. The report indicates that over 50% of these women were killed by their partners or ex-partners, and a quarter of them were killed by their children (89% of whom were boys).
Women’s murders came back into the spotlight in November 2023, a few weeks after the release of “There’s Still Tomorrow,” following the killing of 22-year-old university student Giulia Cecchettin, allegedly murdered by her ex-boyfriend awaiting trial. Mass protests were organized in response.
Cortellesi says she is trying to explore a mindset that she argues has persisted for millennia through her film.
“We might now, as women, have certain rights and safeguards, but what hasn’t changed in society is this mentality that distorts love and turns it into possession. That’s why we need better education.”
Source: BBC