Italian Journey: The Night

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Marcello Mastroianni.

After ten years of marriage, Giovanni, a successful writer, and Lidia are still very happily married. They visit Tommaso, a friend of theirs, who is gravely ill. After the visit they resume their every-day chores with a troubling sense of anguish. To shake their doldrums, they decide to accept an invitation to dinner by another friend of theirs, a rich industrialist. Here their night begins and their sense of anguish continues. Lidia allows a young man to flirt with her, while Giovanni turns his attention to the industrialist's daughter. Lidia meanwhile receives a phone call telling her that Tommaso has died. Feeling down, she allows her young suitor to take her for a ride in his car. On her return Lidia tells Giovanni of Tommaso's death. They recall their departed friend and Lidia confesses that Tommaso loved her; she, however, had always remained faithful to her husband. They embrace and make desperate love, in reaction to their sudden and bitter deception

More information about the Italian Journey 2023/24 >>

The program is supported by the National Cultural Fund of Hungary.

Director: Michelangelo Antonioni

Cast: Monica Vitti, Marcello Mastroianni, Jeanne Moreau, Rosy Mazzacurati, Bernhard Wicki