L'attesa

Piero Messina : 2015
The Wait

Anna is not yet 60 and already feels like her life is over. The pain of bereavement is etched into her face and her slow movements; it is reflected in the shabby walls of the residence and the ivy that covers them. Then, in that timeless place, there is a telephone call from Jeanne, Giuseppe's girlfriend. Anna should tell her immediately of the terrible loss, but she is petrified: she did not know that her son had a girlfriend. Jeanne's arrival in that villa made up of mourning brings a breath of fresh air and a certain naivety. Anna is yet unable to tell the girl the truth. She is sure it would break the spell. The excuse is always the same, that she is waiting for the right moment. So the two women spend the Easter Days in that solitary place, waiting together for the return of the man they love. To wait for someone is an act of faith. It does not matter if the wait is long or short, if the person is dead or has simply vanished. To wait means to believe that they are elsewhere and to long for their return. And if two women removed from time are convinced that the return of someone far away is imminent, then that person lives yet. Piero Messina's feature debut premiered in competition at Venice International Film Festival 2015.