Irene is forced to hide a dangerous secret from her father and friends: under the codename Miele, she belongs to an organization that helps terminally ill people voluntarily depart from this world. For her directorial debut, Valeria Golino, known as an actress in numerous films (Respiro, The Girl by the Lake), selected the thorny topic of euthanasia. The film won a Special Mention from the Ecumenical Jury at this year’s Cannes festival.
Under the codename Miele (Honey), 30-something Irene works for a secret company that helps people voluntary end their lives through assisted suicide. She is convinced that she’s helping her patients in the final stages of terminal illness, and that she’s alleviating their suffering after they have lost all hope. Irene’s activities have left her financially secure, and so she casually divides her time between her work and her private life in a little house on the coast near Rome. She travels regularly to visit her father, nurtures her friendships and intimate relationships, and meticulously exercises to stay in shape. One day, however, an encounter with a candidate for assisted suicide awakens unexpected doubts. World-renowned actress Valeria Golino has chosen the thorny subject of euthanasia for her directorial debut. Loosely based on Mauro Covacich’s novel I Forgive You, published under the pseudonym Angela Del Fabbro, her film was recently shown to great acclaim in Un Certain Regard at Cannes where it won a Special Mention from the Ecumenical Jury.
96 min / Color, DCP
Director Valeria Golino
/ Screenplay Francesca Marciano, Valeria Golino, Valia Santella podle románu / based on the novel by Angela Del Fabbro (Mauro Covacich)
/ Dir. of Photography Gergely Poharnok
/ Editor Giogiò Franchini
/ Producer Riccardo Scamarcio, Viola Prestieri
/ Production Buena Onda
/ Cast Jasmine Trinca, Carlo Cecchi, Libero de Rienzo
/ Contact Cité Films
Valeria Golino (Naples, Italy) grew up in Athens as the daughter of a Greek painter mother and an Italian literary critic and professor of German studies. At age 14, she began working as a model. She was discovered for film by Italian director Lina Wertmüller, and first gained attention at the 1986 Venice IFF, where she won an award for her portrayal of the temperamental housekeeper Bruna in A Tale of Love (Storia d’amore). Towards the late 1980s, she became a successful international star with overseas hits such as Rain Man, Hot Shots!, Hot Shots! Part Deux, The Indian Runner, Year of the Gun, Four Rooms, Leaving Las Vegas, and Escape from L.A. In recent years, however, she has been working more with Italian and French directors. Past films shown at Karlovy Vary include Hotel (2001), Respiro (2002), Texas (2005), Don’t Waste Your Time, Johnny! (2007), The Girl by the Lake (2007) and The Cézanne Affair (2009).
Cité Films
26, rue Montrosier, 92200, Neuilly sur Seine
France
Phone: +33 182 645 298
E-mail: [email protected]
Valeria Golino
Film Director
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