MISUNDERSTOOD/ INCOMPRESA

Italy, 2014, 103 minutes, Colour.
Giulia Salerno, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Gabriel Garko.
Directed by Asia Argento.

The title, Misunderstood, applies to a nine-year-old girl, Aria, played very effectively by Giulia Salerno.

The film is directed by Asia Argento, whose second name was Aria (because the baptising priest did not consider Asia as a proper name). Her father was the celebrated director of horror films, Dario Argento, and used his daughter in a number of films as she developed as an actress and later moved into direction. One of the main questions that arises in audience minds is how much of this film is autobiographical, Aria as Asia’s experience or an imaginative variation on the theme.

The setting is 1984, with her father having an acting career, her mother being a musician and touring, a celebrity. She has two older sisters. But the atmosphere in the house is poisonous, the parents continually fighting, and exhibiting quite erratic behaviour towards their children. Eventually, the father moves out into his own apartment, taking his oldest daughter, Lucrezia to live with him. Aria goes to pay visits, is often welcomed, but it is often made to feel out of place and she returns to her mother, her mother not always able to care for her because of touring. There are also various men in attendance on her mother.

She has a best friend at school and they share everything. Aria is also praised by the teacher, a prissy young woman, for her ability to write essays – and later Aria wins a Roman competition and goes to read her essay and receive her award, imagining her parents there but the reserved seats are vacant.

Aria is humiliated at the end when she throws a party at her father’s house, the children from school all turn up, but they wreak revenge on her in the kissing game where she thinks that the attractive young boy is in the dark room but it is really an antagonistic boy whose nickname is Fatso.

Aria goes to a ledge, falls over, injures herself and receives treatment in hospital – with a final speech to the audience about her life, its meaning, her future.

1. The film about an Italian family, Italian society, the 1980s and the influence?

2. The work of the director, her name, the film as biographical, portrait of family, family pressures?

3. Rome in the 1980s, the city, the apartments, different homes, school? The musical score?

4. The title? As it applied to Aria? Her perspective on life, nine years old, her mother, the celebrity, erratic behaviour in the house, love for her daughter, her moods? Her father, love, his emotional reactions, walking out? The sisters? Lucrezia, older, pampered, leaving with her father? Donatina, the middle daughter, at home, sharing with Aria? The details of life at home, the meals, moods, Aria not eating, her bedroom, the night brace for her mouth?

5. Aria at school, coming out of herself, her friend, their sharing so much, love for each other, the clash with the rival, Maria Teresa, the friend later joining up with her? Adriano from the market? The other boys at school? Fatso? In class, Aria being bright, her essays, about her friendship and looking at the girl while reading it? The competition and her winning?

6. The teacher, and proper, ridiculing the children, saying that Fatso should be called Dumbo? Her favouritism towards Aria?

7. The father, his career in films, clashes with his wife, the children together, packing and leaving, the emotional abruptness? His apartment, taking Lucrezia? Aria, the visits, the ups and downs of the moods? His taking her to the rock concert? The enjoyment? Yet her being ousted?

8. Her mother, absences, concerts? Autographs? Aria giving her the flower bracelet and her mother leaving it? The elderly gentleman and his attentions? Rick, sound engineer, the affair with the mother? The men and the giving gifts to the girls? Talking, dancing? The background of the glamorous life, the mother playing the piano – and the neighbour calling out to stop? Aria continuing to come back, her mother unable to look after her, Aria and her deciding to run away? In the street, with the group singing?

9. Winning the competition, the teachers and their applause, the seats reserved for her parents, her imagining them there, their absence?

10. Lucrezia, her pink room, dominating her sister? The contrast with Donatina and her love for her sister?

11. Aria, going to her father’s house, his absence, dismissing the staff, arranging the party, lavish, the decorations, cakes? The invitations at school? Everybody turning up? The singing and dancing? The kissing game, going to the darkened room, Aria thinking it was Adriano when it was actually Fatso, his triumph over her, the children all laughing and abandoning Aria?

12. Aria, her age, alone, feeling abandoned, standing at the railing, her fall? In hospital, the concerns?

13. Her recovery, her final speech about life, about herself, about her future?