email print share on Facebook share on Twitter share on LinkedIn share on reddit pin on Pinterest

PRODUCTION Italy

Gianni Zanasi returns to the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight with Troppa grazia

by 

- In the words of General Delegate Edouard Waintrop, the new film by the director of La felicità è un sistema complesso is “a truly deranged comedy”

Gianni Zanasi returns to the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight with Troppa grazia
Alba Rohrwacher in Troppa grazia

Twenty-three years after he made his debut there with Nella mischia, Gianni Zanasi is making his return to the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight with “a truly deranged comedy”. These were the words used by the section’s General Delegate, Edouard Waintrop, who chose the new outing by the director of Don’t Think About It [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
and La felicità è un sistema complesso [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Gianni Zanasi
interview: Valerio Mastandrea
film profile
]
 as the closing film of this year’s Fortnight.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Produced by Rita Rognoni (Pupkin) and Beppe Caschetto (IBC Movie) together with Rai CinemaLucia's Grace [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 stars Alba Rohrwacher, who is flanked by Elio Germano, Giuseppe Battiston, Hadas Yaron, Carlotta Natoli and Thomas Trabacchi. Written by Zanasi, Giacomo Ciarrapico (the writer and director of Eccomi qua and Boris - Il film [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
), Michele Pellegrini (The Medicine Seller [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
) and Federica Pontremoli (We Have a Pope [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nanni Moretti
film profile
]
), the film was shot almost entirely in Viterbo and the region of Tuscia, over a period of eight weeks.

“It’s very exciting for me to be returning to the Directors’ Fortnight, where my debut feature was presented. And I’m happy to be able to bring such a great troupe of actors to Cannes,” remarked Zanasi, who took part in Venice in 2007 with Don’t Think About It, which also spawned a spin-off TV series.

Lucia's Grace tells the story of Lucia (Rohrwacher), a 36-year-old surveyor who lives with her daughter. While she does her best to get by amidst financial problems and eternally ambiguous personal relationships, the town council hires her to carry out an inspection of a site where an eagerly awaited major architectural work is due to be constructed. During the inspection, Lucia realises that the council’s maps are incorrect and full of alterations in order to cover up likely geological hazards. Lucia, terrified by the idea of potentially losing her job, decides to say nothing and avoid causing trouble. The next day, as she resumes her work on site, she is interrupted by a girl who is seemingly a young “refugee”. Lucia offers her €5 and goes back to work. But that evening, while she is at home cooking, she suddenly sees her again, right there in front of her eyes. The “refugee” stares at her and tells her: “Go to the men and tell them to build a church in the spot where I first appeared to you...”

Lucia's Grace will be distributed in Italy by Bim.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

(Translated from Italian)

Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.

Privacy Policy