Le fate ignoranti

'La fate ignoranti' is one of the smartest movies in years. Few films have so delicately shown and explained feelings of love, betrayal, deceit, and infatuation.

The key theme (which, oddly enough, a lot of people seem to miss) is : what to do when the love of your life dies... and turns out to be a completely different person than you thought he was.

Most viewers stop at the slightly lewd, sensationalist premise of "my (dead) husband had a boyfriend." In reality the poignant film is about two descent, lovely, and flawed persons bounding in the face of loss and mourning.

The wife and gay lover, apparent enemies, not only share the same (competitive) grief and sadness, but quickly discover how they need each others and are very much alike.

One amazing scene deftly shows how one thing that both rivals liked about the dead husband might in fact be the influence of that other lover! Both the wife and boyfriend are crazy about the Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet, and were convinced the husband was too, until they discover he was merely influenced by their own personal interests.

Named 'Family portrait' in France, the film has a large gallery of warm, funny, struggling characters (including the wife's hilarious mom). Its wide spectrum of in-depth, low-key emotions and statements is a pleasure to watch. It's also a delight to piece back together, after the viewing , with some perceptive friends, since the film-maker brilliantly filled the movie with so many funny, vivid, logical details and ideas.

This is my first encounter with a film by Ferzan Ozpetek and a more than satisfying one. This modest drama about a woman's growing understanding of the often hazardous and confusing life the homosexual friends of her dead husband lead is extremely convincing.

Almodóvar came to mind when seeing the commune of transsexuals and gay characters so lovingly and believably portrayed. Without the hysterics of the Spanish master Ozpetek manages to show the witty bitchiness, the hurt of and compassion for the Aids victims.

Mature is the word that springs to mind when the story unfolds and its old fashioned but unforced warmth pervades you. Without winning prizes for originality this film shows that, when made with heart, involvement and wit, one can tell an old tale over and over again.

It's also nice to find exploitation veteran Erica Blanc in a quirky but well perceived bit part.

"His Secret Life" is the unimaginative American title. The Fairies in the original title is referred to a painting, what else? Margherita Buy, the central character in this surprising modern melodrama is a revelation, at least for me. She doesn't look like anybody else and at the same time she reminded me of several women I know. So middle class. Elegant without meaning too. Very difficult to sort out, describe or shake up. She takes the revelation of her husband's past as a British woman would, with a remarkable stiff upper lip. I mean, she is shocked, hurt, disturbed but she carries of all that in her eyes. She doesn't collapse with hysterics. The weakest link in this almost perfect fairy tale is the leading man Stefano Accorsi - Apparently a big star in Italy but I thought he was difficult to warm up to. There is a petulance there that I couldn't quite overcome so, as a consequence, I didn't care about him. I cared about Serra Yelmaz , a wonderful and truly original character. I also cared about Erica Blanc as the ultra sophisticated, lonely and wise mother of Marherita Buy's character. I also cared about Gabriel Garko because I think, he is the character, Ferzan Ozpetek, the director, cared about the most. At least Garko has the best, the most beautiful loving close ups of the entire film. Recommended

Here is a film that is both unconventional and deeply touching.

The best thing about this film is the absence in it of any clichés. This holds, first of all, for the main gay character, Michele. In Italian films gay characters tend to be described in extremely stereotyped ways; in other films, such as "Philadelphia", there are gay characters that tend to be described as if they were sort of saints. In this case, instead, the main gay character is a complex man, with contrasting aspects; the tension between his love for someone he will never be able to fully share his love with and his inability to requite the affection of those who could; the tension between his attraction for the widow of his late lover, in whom he finds an echo of aspects he loved in him, and the hatred he feels for his rival; the bitterness for the love lost and the willingness to engage in fast sex; all makes this character a fascinating one.

Even more so for the main female character. For once Margherita Buy plays a different character from the neurotic, insecure women she has often played in the past, and is given a wonderful opportunity to show her dramatic skills. She's hurt and yet not bitter, she's open-minded and yet has a morality of her own, she's curious and yet not intrusive; she plays a thoughtful, sensitive, tender and deeply human character, for whom one can feel nothing but sympathy.

Many foreigners seem to especially like films which depict Italy and Italians in strongly conventional ways, such as "Mediterraneo", "Life is Beautiful" or "Cinema Paradiso": a rural country, populated by childish, superficial and sentimental people surrounded by beautiful landscapes, preferably in Tuscany, and artistic beauties. This film, set in a dilapidated district of Rome, will probably make them understand that Italy is a country quite different, in many ways, from the one they like to see represented in some Italian films.

This was a chance rental, recommended by the owner of my local rental shop and it was a wonderful surprise. We are introduced to the perfect marriage at the outset, Antonia, the wife (played winningly by Margherita Buy) and Massimo, the husband ( played by Andrea Renzi) It is fifteen years along into the marriage straight out of high school and it is sexy and fulfilling, with a wonderful house on a lake, a full time maid and no children by choice.

And just like that, Massimo is killed in a traffic accident and thus begins the story of the unfolding of the secret that he withheld from Antonia for seven years.

In her detective work, Antonia, an AIDS doctor, uncovers another life that Massimo has lived.

Enter handsome Michele ( played by Stefano Accorci), who lives an openly gay life, filled with friends, some straight, some gay, some transgendered. Michele is real, flaws and all and conveys the promiscuous life of a lusty gay male.

Antonia and Michele fight a burgeoning attraction for each other with Antonia repulsed at times by his sexuality with other men. She also becomes bonded with his friends (she has made Massimo her raison d'etre and abandoned other friends for him) and slowly begins to understand his grief process.

Nothing is drawn in black and white here. One senses that Antonia and Michele are right for each other. Massimo was never an intellectual whereas Michele and Antonia are. There are many layers to the story and some wonderful characterizations. The part of Antonia's mother is a particular delight as is the part of Serra, they both have their secrets too.

I gave it a 9 out of 10 for the Italy that it shows, a colourful, complex Italy and the characters that clamp around the heartstrings and don't release for a long time afterwards. The only flaw was in the measly subtitles but at times my Italian was good enough to pick up the nuances and the unsubtitled dialogue and background.

Bravo and Brava to all.