Soudain, l'hiver dernier

I saw this film in its English-language version on Swedish television. It follows a gay couple who decide to film a documentary about the fight for a law to allow civil unions for gay couples in Italy. It seems like something of a vanity project with its focus on the couple's own emotional journey, but it also offers a look into the Italian political process and into the homophobia and religious sentiment that stand in the way of gay rights in Italy and elsewhere. The result is worthwhile for followers of the issue, though not essential viewing.

The English version that I saw contained narration which referred to the two protagonists in the third person, and which was carried out in a somewhat naive tone. I thought this was annoying and diluted the role of the gay couple as authors of the film.

I saw three episodes of interviews where this gay couple, makers of this documentary about the level of acceptance in Italy about Gay Marriage, speaks about the project and its final consequences, when they finished the film and showed it in over twenty Italian cities and other European countries.

I just hope that from 2008 to the present 2013 things have changed in Italy about the Gay Marriage issue, otherwise, if one must judge the Italians through the few scenes (that I saw) where they show people being interviewed walking down the street and giving their opinions... the impression is quite shocking, since all the interviewed ones are bitter homophobes talking the most outrageous nonsense, no doubt brainwashed by the nearby Vatican.

I said I saw three episodes only because I couldn't continue watching, I found it too degrading to listen to people with no education and a big mouth giving opinions that made me cringe, made me feel ashamed for them, poor unfeeling persons utterly indifferent to other people's feelings or emotional needs.

I know that not all Italians are like those interviewed in this documentary, since having lived there several years I never met anyone of that sort and must admit a great deal of admiration for this gay couple's guts to go to the streets, present themselves as a gay couple being together for 8 years and asking passers by their opinion about Gay Marriage.

Not everyone --not me certainly!-- has the mettle to face this ordeal and they did it with flying colors. Their film was extremely well received in many countries save Italy, where only the southern part of the country received it very openly while the north, where they thought would have had the best reception, was rather aloof and cold.

I lived both in Italy and Spain, and was always amazed at the different mentality of these two Latin countries when it comes to sexual issues, the Spaniards are incredibly open, spontaneous and free while the Italians clam up the moment you touch the subject. Oh Vatican, Vatican!... the damage you have done to Italy is something that will take many years to heal!