Find yourself.|Jan. 14, 2022|United States|81 Min.|n/A
Genre: Drama;Mystery
Description: Italian Studies 2022: A Story of Lost Identity and Human Connection
The film “Italian Studies” follows the journey of a writer who loses her memory while in New York City. Struggling to find her way home, she engages in conversations—both real and imagined—with a group of strangers. The premise explores the idea of losing one’s past, likening it to a person being reset to factory settings. Without memories of success, failure, or human interactions, the protagonist is left with only the basic essence of humanity.
Vanessa Kirby takes on the challenging role of a woman who cannot recall her name or any details about her identity. One ordinary day, she walks into a hardware store, and by the time she steps out, her memory is completely erased. Disoriented, she wanders aimlessly through the city for an uncertain period—whether a single night or several days remains unclear.
The film captures her journey through a blend of distant and intimate perspectives, often observing her from afar as if she is being watched over, while also immersing the audience in the overwhelming chaos of the urban environment. The soundscape, with overlapping voices and noises, adds to the sense of confusion. Cinematographer Brett Jutkiewicz uses dynamic camera movements and flaring nightlights to create a visually mesmerizing experience.
While the initial scenes maintain a captivating, almost inebriating effect, the film’s strength lies more in its experiential quality than its narrative structure. The editing team crafts a stream-of-consciousness flow, creating cinematic synapses that make the story compelling as an artistic piece rather than a traditional plot-driven film.
Cast director: Adam Leon
Cast actor: Vanessa Kirby, Simon Bruckner, Annabel Hoffman, Annika Wahlsten, Chris Arias, Fred Hechinger, Ray Lipstein, Maya Hawke, David Ajala
Original name: Italian Studies