(M) Directed by Ferzan Ozpetek
Tammaso (Riccardo Scamarcio) lives in Rome with his boyfriend and hopes to be a writer, but his traditionally conservative family know nothing of this life. They think he studied business at university when he studied literature; they expect him to go into the family pasta-making business and they certainly don’t know he is gay. He is very close to his brother Antonio (Alessandro Preziosi) and when he comes home to Lecce for a family dinner, he tells him of his plan to reveal his true self to his family. However Tammaso’s plan is thwarted and he becomes trapped by the demands of his family to run the business, leaving him with a huge dilemma and missing his boyfriend in Rome.
The opening of the film is somewhat enigmatic. It depicts Tammaso’s grandmother’s memories of being a young bride, running through sunny fields in her wedding dress, distressed. More and more of her story is revealed as the film progresses and it would appear that she loved one brother but married another. It shows that even the most conforming family members are hiding secrets and secret desires – actually everyone in the family is hiding secrets and secret desires! Tammoso always wants to please but his grandmother is trying to encourage him to be true to himself. While Tammaso is reluctant to reveal his true self, no one in the family, except his narrow-minded father, is in any doubt about his sexuality after his friends from Rome pay a visit to the family.
Loose Cannons is part of the Italian Film Festival that screens at Cinema Paradiso, opening with a screening of La Nostra Vita on Thursday 14 October. The screening will be followed by an after party with entertainment and refreshments at The Bakery. For Full programming details please visit: www.italianfilmfestival.com.au
Lezly Herbert
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