Displaying items by tag: Jasmine Trinka

FORTUNATA

Italy, 2017, 103 minutes, Colour.

Jasmine Trinca, Stefano Accorsi, Alessandro Borghi, Eduardo Pesce, Nicole Centanni, Hanna Schygulla.

Directed by Sergio Castellitto.

Fortunata is the dramatising of the life of a very emotional woman, a hard background, harsh memories of the death of her father and responsibilities, marriage to a violent man, divorce proceedings, bonding with her daughter but their being tensions, the experience of work with the therapist…

The film has been written by Margarita Mazantini who collaborated with her actor-director husband, Sergio Castillitto. They worked on several films together.

The film was nominated for many awards and actress, Jasmine Trinka, winning several for Best Actress. Her character is highly emotional and the performance dramatises the emotions, sometimes there are extremes. In support is StefanoAccorsi as a sympathetic therapist, Alessandro Borghi as a friend who is bipolar, Eduardo Pesce as her brutal husband, and German actress, memories of her work with Fassbender, Hanna chuygulla as a former actress with dementia.

The treatment is highly emotional, dramatic and melodramatic, but the central performance is certainly commanding and audiences can be swept up into the domestic drama, the behaviour of the brutal husband, menacing and violent, the possible escape with the therapist, at the core relationship of mother and daughter.

1. Title, the irony of Fortunata and her name? The background, Her father, a failed marriage relationship with her daughter, therapist, ambitions, her emotions, careful Chicano? Custody issues?
2. The Italian city, apartments, addresses, therapy offices, the aqueduct, countryside, the visits to Genoa? The musical score?
3. Fortunata’s story, her age, the sequences with her husband, violent brutality, verbal violence and menace, physical violence? The divorce? Her relationship with Barbara, Barbara’s moods, school, dropping the bag, the exasperated mother? Barbara possessive? Fortunata and hair-dressers, the plans, with Chicano, with her friends? The work and preparations? Going to the therapist, observing Barbara? The bond with Patrizio, the outing with him, the travel, his story, the dancing, the sexual experience, the consequences of the relationship? Her husband, the accusations, Chicano and the death of his mother, meeting with the judge, the husband and the filming of his wife and her behaviour? Her losing her daughter?
4. Barbara, her age, relationship with her mother, aggressive, yet dependent, going to the therapist, bonding with him, her drawings, the discussions, his drawing her out of herself? The suspicions of her mother with the therapist? Angry at her mother going away, going to the roof, hurting herself? Her father’s reaction? Going off with him? Finally alienation from her father, bonding again with her mother?
5. Chicano, bipolar, drugs, looking after his mother, gentlemen, the past as an actress, quoting Antigone, his devotion to Fortunata, working with her, the encounter with the Patrizio, his plann for the withdrawal from drugs? The birthday party for his mother, blowing out the candles, her behaviour, her dementia? The walk with her, the memories,his exasperation at her not recognising him, the bridge, accusing him, his memories of the story of Fortunata letting her her father drown, the death of his mother – and the later finding of her body?
6. Patrizio, therapist, the background in Africa, his reputation, his charm, with Fortunata, with Barbara, friendship, smiling, encouraging, the questions, drawing her out of herself, her bonding with hearing? The attraction to Fortunata, the outing with her, taking her to his town, night, the dancing, the room, sex, the return, the crisis on the return, Fortunata and his reaction to her, his trying to help? The final talk between them and her reaction?
7. The culmination, the dramatising of her father’s death, her denial, visualising the water, a verbal description, her father in the water, going out to sea? The issue of blame, a highly emotional reaction to Chicano, wanting to see him, hysterics, her final catharsis with the memories of her father, joining again with Barbara at having a future?

GODDESS OF FORTUNE/ DEA DI FORTUNA

Italy, 2019, 119 minutes, Colour.

Stefano Accorsi, Eduardo Leo, Jasmine Trinca, Sara Ciocca, Eduardo Brandi, Barbara Alberti, Dora Romano.

Directed by Ferzan Ozpetek.

Ferzan Ozpetek, originally from Turkey, living in Italy, has been making striking human drama since the end of the 1990s. Here he is with his themes, 20 years later.

Ozpetek is a gay man, a gay director, sexual orientation being significant in most of his films. Here is a variation, and established relationship, over many years, over many years, ups and downs, ambitions frustrated, infidelities. The couple is played by veteran actors, Stefano Accorsi and Eduardo Leo.

The title is taken from a statue of the goddess of Fortune in a monument in the town of Palestrina where the woman at the centre of the film works and which has an influence on her children.

At the core of the film is the relationship, from the past, with a woman who has rebelled against her harshly strict mother, left home, has entered into relationships, has a daughter, forward and outspoken, and the younger son, rather more prim, father uncertain. She is played by veteran actress, Jasmine Trinka.

On the one hand, the issue is of the woman and her being ill, diagnosis and prognosis, hospitalisation. On the other hand, there is the issue of who will care for her children while she is in hospital, her wanting to entrust them to the men. This raises the issue of gay couple, parenting, responsibilities, capacities, society’s attitudes. However, they are surrounded by an eccentric group of friends who are very supportive.

With the serious illness, a decision is made that the children should go back to stay with her grandmother, the men travelling to take her, encountering the harshness of the old woman, but also meeting her companion/servant. They leave the children.

The story becomes more serious when the woman dies, the men coming for the funeral, discovering that the old woman is treating her granddaughter as harshly as she did her daughter, a dilemma for them because they are in personal conflict, the discovery of an affair, one of the men frustrated in his ambitions in academia, forced to do translations, the other a labourer, discovering that his partner had been cheating and wanting to leave.

The drama comes to a head, the men fortunately being helped by the sympathetic companion, taking the children – and facing the prospect of a middle-aged gay couple taking on the role of parenting.

1. Family drama, mother and children, gay couple and fathering?
2. The settings, the Italian city, homes, building worksites, the streets, markets, hospitals, the boat journey, the country mansion and interiors? The musical score?
3. The opening, the atmosphere, the party, straight, gay, transgender? Setting the tone?
4. The story of Arturo and Alessandro, their age, 15 years together, memories of their first meeting, friendship with Anna Maria, homosexuality, partners, settling, home and companionship? Arturo and his story, his later recounting what he gave up, University professorship, his writing, work on translations, keeping house? The contrast with Alessandro, the plumber, practical, out on the job? The ordinariness of the relationship, the loss of passion, the revelation Arturo and his affair with the artist, his physical collapse, calling Alessandro, the truth, taking him home, a two row and his plan to leave?
5. Into this setting, Anna Maria, the story of her past, her harsh mother, escaping, men and partners, her two children, her health, coming to her friends for help, in hospital, the doctors, tests, the brain, the need for surgery? The visits of the two men to the hospital?
6. The children, entrusted to the two men, their range of friends, characters, the couple, the old lady…? And trusting the children to their care for an hour? Alessandro taking the boy to the house for the plumbing job, saying that he was apprentice? Martina, interactions between the two, friends, fights, Alessandro and his formal manner, polite, Martina more forthright? With the men, the meals, telling stories, sleeping arrangements? The men responding to the demands of care? The children and their concern about their mother?
7. The background of the difficulties, the two men and their clashes, fighting, arguments? Future arrangements? Alessandro and his disappointment about the affair?
8. Anna Maria, writing the document about the men to look after the children? Her leaving hospital, dressing up, urging them to take the children to her mother?
9. The voyage, the mother, wealthy, harsh, taking the children, her reliance on Leah?
10. Anna Maria, her death, the grief, the voyage back to the country mansion, the grandmother and her looking after the children, her reaction to the men, harsh denunciations of them, condemnation of her daughter? To keep the children, demanding that the men leave?
11. The importance of Leah, her devotion to the grandmother, the years? Yet the criticism? Helping the men, getting the children to escape, going back to Rome?
12. The effect on the men, the death of Anna Maria, the memories, possibilities for forgiveness, love continuing, the bonding, and the children keeping them together?

HONEY/MIELE

Italy, 2013, 96 minutes, Colour.

Jasmine Trinka, Carlo Cecchi.

Directed by Valeria Golino.

Honey is the codename for a woman whose work is to assist with suicides. Her actual name is Irene and she is played by Jasmine Trinka. The film has been directed by long-time actress in Italian films as well is American films, Valeria Golino.

For most audiences, the theme of the film will be to response. It is a question of assisted suicide, moral issues, ethical issues, legal issues, psychological issues – for the person wanting to die, for relatives and friends, and, as in the case for Irene, the effect on the person assisting.

The film has an Italian setting, an atmosphere of Italian cities, sense of realism. And, monthly, Irene travels to Mexico to buy the drugs for the assisted suicide procedure.

Irene does have some life, visits with her father, a woman friend, sexual liaison with associates. And she has a contact who gives her the names of potential clients. She visits them at home, explains the situation (also for the audience), notes that they can withdraw at any time. There are several examples of the procedure, the focus on those dying, the focus on those associated, and the camera watching Irene during the process, some compassion, concern.

Ultimately, this gets too much for her, complicated by her association with an older man, Carlo Cecchi, who asks her help, questions her in detail, but does not want an assisted suicide. There is clash, Irene wanting to retrieve the drugs, her returning to his apartment, the conversations, breaking down of barriers, conversations, and a friendship.

This all has an effect on Irene who then wants to withdraw from her work assisting suicides.

With the performances of the central actors, this becomes more than just a film treatise on assisted suicide but helps the audience to appreciate the emotional and psychological demands.

1. The theme of assisted suicide? Moral issues? Legal issues? Psychological issues? For those dying, for family, for those assisting? Compassion? Business?
2. An Italian setting, the city, apartments, streets, cafes, atmosphere? The visits to Mexico? The settings for the assisted suicide? The musical score?
3. The title, the codename for Irene? A sweet-sounding name?
4. Irene herself, her relationship with her father, her studies, her contacts for clients, the travels to Mexico for the drugs, drugs for putting down animals? Three years assisting in suicide? The contact and the discussions, her buying the drugs, the procedure, her explanations, giving the clients the option to pull out at any time?
5. The settings for the suicide, the man with his wife, sitting up, the music? The young man, the vodka, the open window, Irene not staying to the end?
6. Carlo Grimaldi, the contact, his age, attitudes towards life, divorce, the discussions with Irene, her reaction? His detailed questions, autopsies…? His not wanting to kill himself? Her bringing him the drugs, her returning to try to find them? The discussions, her return, the phone calls, her concern, the breaking down of the barriers, the outings, the meal at the restaurant, his visit to her house? The friendship? The importance of swimming for Irene?
7. Irene and her personal relationships, the men in her life, their relationships? Her friend and her questioning?
8. The effect on Irene, her wanting out of her work, the discussions with contact? At home, Carlo’s visit, appreciating the sea? Her going to his house, his previous comment about throwing himself out of his apartment, five floors up?
9. The human and humane portrait, Irene’s questions, the questions for the audience?

AN ALMOST ORDINARY SUMMER/ CROCE & DELIZIA

Italy, 2019, 100 minutes, Colour.

Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Alessandro Gassman, Jasmine Trinka, Filippo Scicchitano, Lunetta Savino, Anna Galiena.

Directed by Simone Godano

With such an English title, the audience anticipates how the summer will not be ordinary.

The film opens with the family joy, father and sons and daughter-in-law, pregnant, all driving off cheerfully to a summer holiday, finding the setup rather inadequate and complaining. The holiday centre is owned by a wealthy man who is celebrating his birthday and his daughters and various relations turning up.

So far, so expected.

However, there is a much more serious theme underlying the farcical aspects of the holiday. The owner of the mansion, Toni, veteran actor Fabrizio Bentivoglio, announces his intended marriage ceremony with Carlo, the father of the holidaying family, veteran actor Alexxandro Gassman.

Needless to say, the rest of the film is about the variety of reactions to this announcement, the film establishing the characters of the two older men, their meeting, the longtime partnership, each of them with family, but finding something in each other, especially the older man finding a genuine humanity in the widower, Carlo.

And, needless to say, there will be hostility to the wedding. It comes from Carlo’s son, Sandro, who reacts very badly, respecting his father but disagreeing with him. And there is hostility from Toni’s daughter, Penelope, Jasmine Trinka, who says that she campaigned and marched for gay marriage rights but does not want this for her father. She and Sandro team together to undermine the wedding.

What follows is holiday joy, family upsets, the arrival of Penelope’s mother, played by veteran Anna Galienay and, different attitudes, different understandings, an issue of Sandro’s younger brother, Diego, and whom he will stay with.

There are some very strong scenes, especially with Penelope’s panic attack and her being helped by Carlo.

There is some alienation, some reconciliation, and some happy sequences during the final credits of the wedding celebrations.

1. An Italian comedy with a serious theme? The history of the legislation on gay marriages? In Italy? 21^st-century perspective?
2. The title, irony, on holidays and summer, at the water, holiday homes, carnivals, picnics, activities…? The musical score?
3. The location, the coast, the beach, the holiday accommodation, the touch of the primitive, the mansion and the interiors?
4. The focus on the family, loud, all together in the car, travelling to the holiday, the music and song? Arrival, the primitive conditions, toilet and shower, complaints? Settling in?
5. The establishing of the family, Carlo as the patriarch, widower, his relationship with Sandro, Sandro’s wife, the younger brother, Diego, working class background?
6. The mansion, Toni as the patriarch, wealth, lifestyle, Olivia and her arriving, spoiled movie star, Penelope arriving late, bumping the car, self-assured, the presence of the hunt and her boyfriend, Toni’s birthday, the meal?
7. Toni and the tensions with his daughter’s, his never marrying, the long partnership, the other children, journeys to France, Olivia’s birth, arrival in Italy? Penny as his daughter, yet the tension between them?
8. The situation: Toni announcing the wedding, the reactions, Olivia, the aunt and the boyfriend tolerant? Penny, her comments about campaigning for gay marriage but her not wanting this for her father? Carlo, wanting to find the time to tell his family, hesitating, Toni and Carlo together, Sandra seeing them, his violent reaction?
9. Stances about the marriage, in three weeks? The two men explaining the background, Carlo and his meeting Toni at the hospital, talking, the meal together, kindred spirits? It is a completely different backgrounds, lifestyles? Carlo appreciating the older man? Toni admiring the inner depth of Carlo, sympathy and understanding?
10. Audience response to the announcement, for or against the marriage, siding with the couple, siding with Penelope and Sandro?
11. The comic situations, the serious situation? Penelope, her scheming, talking with Sandro, stopping the family leaving, wanting to undermine the relationship? The various stages, collaboration, developing and her problems, the advance on Sandro, his wife seeing it, the upset?
12. The meals, the picnics, the couple together, the ups and downs, the barbecue, Carlo dancing, everybody joining in except Sandro? The joy of everybody dancing?
13. The issue of Diego, young, to live with the couple? Sandro and his reaction? Sandro and his relationship with his wife, her pregnancy? Diego, the youngsters going to the carnival, their being lost, Carlo blaming Toni? The morning aftermath, explanations? Carlo and his decision that he would discuss the situation with Diego? Diego, young, the attraction to the young French girl, lovelorn, his father’s wise advice? Carlo coming to getting from Sandro, the going off together?
14. The arrival of Penelope’s mother, not a marriage, her work in fashion, the plot to undermine the wedding, yet her encounter with Carlo, sympathetic, change of heart? Penelope’s disappointment?
15. The confrontation, Sandra’s reaction, his wife’s reaction, Penelope’s humiliation, unable to breathe, the panic attack, Carlo and his sympathy, helping her to breathe, driving her, the frank talk, Penelope explaining her father’s ignoring of her?
16. Carlo, going away, fishing? Toni, wanting to find him? Penelope helping, Sandro on the boat, meeting on the boat (despite the crew calling out about packets), the reconciliation – all round?
17. The final credits, the ceremony, everybody joining in the celebration?
18. The status of gay marriage in Italian society with its religious traditions?