A Brief Vacation (Italian: Una breve vacanza) is a 1973 melodrama film directed by Vittorio De Sica. The screenplay, written by Cesare Zavattini, was inspired by an Apollinaire adage ("Sickness is the vacation of the poor").
Una breve vacanza | |
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![]() Italian theatrical release poster | |
Italian | Una breve vacanza |
Directed by | Vittorio De Sica |
Written by | Cesare Zavattini |
Produced by | Arthur Cohn |
Starring |
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Cinematography | Ennio Guarnieri |
Edited by | Franco Arcalli |
Music by | Manuel De Sica |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | Cinema International Corporation |
Release dates |
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Running time | 106 minutes |
Countries |
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Language | Italian |
Synopsis
editThe film concerns a female factory worker from Calabria who falls ill on the job and is prescribed a stay at a mountain retreat. She goes despite her husband's wishes, leaving behind her thankless work shift and her frustrating in-laws, but also her three children. The film addresses issues such as the health care system, labor conditions, spousal satisfaction, and class struggle.
Cast
edit- Florinda Bolkan as Clara Mataro
- Renato Salvatori as Franco Mataro, the husband
- Daniel Quenaud as Luigi, Clara's lover
- José María Prada as Dr. Ciranni
- Teresa Gimpera as Gina
- Hugo Blanco as brother-in-law
- Julia Peña as Edvige
- Miranda Campa as Nurse Guidotti
- Angela Cardile as the redhead
- Anna Carena as mother-in-law
- Monica Guerritore as Maria
- Maria Mizar as Nurse Garin
- Alessandro Romanazzi as son
- Adriana Asti as Scanziani
- Christian De Sica as Mariani
Critical reception
editThe film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film by the U.S. National Board of Review.[1]
Florinda Bolkan won the inaugural Best Actress prize from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association for her performance.[2]
References
edit- ^ "1975 Award Winners". National Board of Review of Motion Pictures. 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
- ^ "Awards for 1975 - LAFCA".
External links
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