Suddenly, Last Winter ( Improvvisamente l'inverno scorso ) ( De Repente, o Inverno Passado )

Suddenly, Last Winter (DVD) (*)

~~$22.99~~ $19.98

Original Title: Improvvisamente l'inverno scorso
Alternate Title: De Repente, o Inverno Passado
Screened, competed or awarded at:
Berlin International Film Festival
Other Film Festival Awards

Language Selections:
English ( Subtitles )
Italian ( Dolby Digital Stereo )

Product Origin/Format:
United Kingdom ( PAL/Region 2 )

Running Time:
79 min

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (1.78:1)

Special Features:
Interactive Menu
Scene Access

Movie filmed in 2008 and produced in:
Italy ( Italy, Greece )

Directed By:
Gustav Hofer
Luca Ragazzi

Written By:
Gustav Hofer
Luca Ragazzi

Actors:
Gustav Hofer ..... Himself
Luca Ragazzi ..... Himself
Frank Dabell ..... Narrator (English version)
Veronica Pivetti ..... Narrator (Italian version)
Paola Binetti ..... Herself
Rocco Buttiglione ..... Himself
Franco Grillini ..... Himself
Barbara Pollastrini ..... Herself
Cesare Salvi ..... Himself

Synopsis:

Luca and Gustav, two men in their 30s, have been a stable couple for eight years now. No significant news in a western European country, one would assume. One would, and wrong too. As a matter of fact, they live in Italy and it turns out there are still places out there in Euroland where the acknowledgment of Luca and Gustavs basic civil rights as a couple are an issue, and big news in fact. Suddenly, Last Winter, their quiet private life has been turned upside down. The Italian centerleft coalition in power as of March 2006, tackled the legislation concerning the rights of civil unions, including same-sex partnerships. The announcement of such plan immediately triggered a national debate. In a matter of days a spat turned into the hottest political and cultural issue on the national agenda at every level, including all media, civil society and political parties of all colours. In this context, the violence of unequivally intolerant homophobic attacks, launched daily from the pulpits and national TV talk shows, reached tones so dramatic even the less naïve among analysts and gay rights activists found worrisome. Gustav convinced Luca to look more in depth into all this, camera in hand. Its here their common journey through a sizeable portion of contemporary Italys sexual intolerance begins. The film is about what they have learned on the way, through interviews with passers-by, religious associations, conservative and liberal politicians alike, organized protests and rallies of all kinds.The films ironic approach reads through the verbose institutional impasse, the gratuitous criticism and the plain dumb arguments with increasing uneasiness. And eventually, frame after frame, the contradictory and unflattering picture of a country comes into focus. One where Luca and Gustav happen to live, somewhere in Europe.

In Feburary 2007, the shared private life of Gustav Hofer and Luca Ragazzi was turned upside down: the Italian government had presented a draft law that acknowledged the legal rights of unmarried and gay couples, prompting a wave of ferocious homophobia throughout Italy. The Vatican and the conservatives challenged the legalisation of civil unions, insisting that the end of morality and "family" would be the inevitable outcome. Partners for more than eight years, Gustav and Luca attempted to understand the different arguments for and against the law. Camera in hand, they undertook a journey into a country they did not know and did not expect to find: their own.

Legislation affording much-desired marriage rights to homosexuals receives short shrift in Italy - squelching the hopes of many a gay and lesbian couple - in SUDDENLY, LAST WINTER, documentarists Luca Ragazzi and Gustav Hofer's witty and urbane look at homophobic Italian politics.

This product was added to our catalog on Sunday 15 August, 2010.