Weekend films

'Paternal Leave', a father and daughter reunite in Alissa Jung's debut

At the cinema is the film starring Luca Marinelli, presented at the last Berlinale. Also among the new releases is 'Francesca e Giovanni'

16 May 2025

3' min read

Luca Marinelli is the star of the weekend in cinemas: the Italian actor is at the centre of 'Paternal Leave', the debut feature by his wife Alissa Jung and one of the most interesting new releases of the weekend at the cinema.

A German actress and director, Alissa Jung had already directed a few short films and has now taken the plunge with a feature film whose themes are anything but simple to deal with.

A co-production between Germany and Italy, this film is about a German teenager who has grown up without her father. When she discovers his identity, she leaves for Italy to meet him: he is an Italian man who lives on the Romagna Riviera, but what was supposed to be a sweet encounter soon turns into a harsh and painful confrontation. A face-to-face between the choices left in the past and their shadows that inevitably mark the present.

“Paternal Leave” e gli altri film della settimana
Photogallery4 foto

Presented as part of the Generation 14plus section at this year's Berlinale, 'Paternal Leave' is an engaging product, despite the fact that it may remind one of several other films that have dealt with similar topics: one of the first that may come to mind is the recent 'Hey Joe', where, however, there was a father who came from abroad to Italy to meet his son conceived at the time of the Second World War.

Although the film tastes a bit familiar, it has the right delicacy to deal with such intimate topics and has a cast that is definitely up to the task: Marinelli's skill is well known, while co-star Juli Grabenhenrich is surprising.

Some limits for a debut of good maturity

The film suffers from a few somewhat naive narrative passages as the conclusion approaches, but some of these limitations are amply balanced by credible and sincere dialogue, as well as an overall structure that provides more than a few food for thought at the end of the viewing.

The result is a mature debut capable of telling with the right strength a relationship that is so complex to portray. It is not (only) a question of a possible reconciliation, in this film, but of an inner journey into the psyche of the two main characters: the focus is as much on a girl in search of answers as on a man who is overwhelmed by this encounter and by the conflict it creates for him. The father in fact has a new family and finding a balance with the newcomer will be very difficult.

Francesca and John

Also interesting in theatres is 'Francesca e Giovanni - Una storia d'amore e di mafia', directed by Simona Izzo and Ricky Tognazzi.

At the centre is the love story between Francesca Morvillo, the first female magistrate in Italy to be the victim of an assassination attempt, and Giovanni Falcone, her second husband.

The story begins in 1979. Palermo is shaken by a long trail of mafia attacks. Francesca Morvillo, deputy prosecutor at the Juvenile Court, leads a peaceful life alongside her husband Giuseppe, while facing the difficult reality of her city every day. When her career seems to be going through a complicated phase, her meeting with Giovanni Falcone marks a decisive turning point. A deep bond is born between them, founded on common ideals and a shared vision of justice. Their love grows along with their professional commitment, but external pressures and the weight of their mission begin to undermine their private lives.

Based on the novel by Felice Cavallaro, "Francesca. Storia di un amore in tempo di guerra', the film offers a decidedly curious and original perspective on a figure - that of Giovanni Falcone - that has already been portrayed several times.

Mixing the private and public sides, Izzo and Tognazzi create a touching work, albeit with a stylistic cut perhaps more suited to the small than the big screen. The rhythm works in alternating phases, but it remains a significant product that should also be shown in schools.

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