A Second Childhood

(Una sconfinata giovinezza)

Lino (Fabrizio Bentivoglio) and his wife Chicca (Francesca Neri) lead a happy life, satisfied with their marriage and their careers – he as a sports editor and she as a professor of medieval languages. Their only regret is not having children, but even that seems to have strengthened their partnership.

Unexpectedly, Lino's memory problems become worse and worse until he is diagnosed with a degenerative illness affecting his brain cells. So begins the slow process of a man separating from the present and regressing to his childhood. Throughout, Chicca stands by her husband, sharing his regression. And, as a maternal caregiver, she nurses him as the child they never had.

Filled with evocative childhood flashbacks, this is both a moving love story and a thoughtful, melancholy study of Alzheimer's from the writerdirector Pupi Avati. Since the mid-60s this prolific filmmaker has made almost 40 films and TV works, and they are always a favourite at the festival with mature audiences.

Feature film will screen with English subtitles

Sessions

• VIC
• NSW
• QLD
• SA
• WA
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