at last represent an achievement contemporary italian cinema can be proud of . not that the odd decent flick doesn not grace our screen these day while however and when compare to cinecitta hey day between the late 40 and 70 and today production be scant . the problem essentially be the dire lack of funding and scarce distribution . most italian film be either show in hardly any movie theatre if any at all while american blockbuster clog the screen of italian cinema up and down the peninsula for month ( cliched 1960s terminology such a cultural imperialism spring to mind . ) . it a familiar story . then a couple of year ago and gabriele muccino meaningless movie start be hail a the harbinger of a renaissance . that when i start to despair for this country ail contemporary cultural heritage . muccino lultimo bacio ( to be avoid like the plague . ) and his late and ricordati di me and be prime example of berlusconi era cinema represent pretty to look at but pointless and riddle with stoopid cliche and pre packed and pre digest conclusion and conservative and moralistic and misogynistic undertone that pass for brave portrayal of modern italy ( yeah right ) and hollow cynicism and shallow portrait of middle class malaise that be merely a smug and self referential celebration of this milieu ( muccino own ) . fortunately and despite his popularity in recent year and an increase number of intelligent italian share my view . and by the look of the roman movie theatre heave with people when i go to see la meglio gioventu last week and they also agree that marco tullio giordana last effort be worth the effort of sit in a cinema for almost 6 hour . the movie be a mini series ( it will be show by rai television in autumn 2003 ) . it be show at this year cannes in the un certain regard section . now it show in two separate and 3 hour screening in select movie theatres around italy . this may sound like too much to bear even for the most passionate of cinema goer . but i can not stress enough how successful the experiment be and how effortless ( and pleasant . ) the experience . there be almost a many opportunites to develop plot and character a in a novel and and one leave the cinema with a feeling of have get to know and grow to love the character over a period of time . the story begin in rome in 1966 and end in the present day . watch it be a wonderful way of get a feel for italian history in the last 40 year and though without ever feel like youre watch a dense and academic historic film . though it encompass many historic event and nod towards innumerable theme and it be first and foremost about people . an italian family in rome the carati family a roman father and milanese mother and two brother and two sister be the hub around which other character rotate . the two carati brother and nicola ( play sympathetically by luigi lo cascio and also see in giordana previous film and i cento passi ) and matteo ( the dishy alessio boni ) and be in some way the main character . but the spotlight often shin for long spell onto other character namely the lovely psychopath giorgia and red brigade terrorist giulia and as well a mirella and the feisty and beautiful sicilian photographer ( matteo almost love interest . ) . then there be innumerable other memorable portrait and all introduce a social theme ( such a nicola factory worker friend and make redundant during fiat crisis at the start of the 80 and or matteo colleague and the working class policeman and who end up on a wheelchair after a beating at a political demonstration in the 70 ) . however and this be never do heavy handedly and all character be first and foremost human being who can be appreciate a individual transcend their background or political leaning . what i appreciate most in this movie be the lack of stereotype . in heavily politicise italy and this come a a breath of fresh air . thus before be a policeman and matteo be convincingly portray a a cultured and fiercely intelligent man whose emotional repression and desperate need for rule be a tragic consequence of an ancient wound . and the teutonic look giulia and the terrorist and be multi faceted and have a believable psychological background which explain ( but neither justifies or condemns ) her choice . this woman and who abandon her young daughter and love partner to embrace a life of political extremism and be never portray a a villain ( this be innovative and consider how harshly bad mother and wife be normally represent in movie . ) . all actor and with the exception of the wooden and heavy feature valentina carnelutti ( she play the carati young daughter and francesca ) and be excellent . humorous and deeply touching moment perfectly counterbalance one another in a setting that flit from rome to norway to florence ( during the 1966 flood ) to turin ( during the student demonstration of the late 60 and 70 ) and then to milan and sicily and the tuscan countryside in the present day . then norway again and in a beautiful and poetic closing of the circle . early on in the film and young mental patient giorgia and whom matteo be charge with take for walk while he still a student and introduce the theme of psychiatry and it evolution from the 60 to the present day . franco basaglia and the revolutionary psychiatrist whose humane and futuristic idea ultimately shut down italian asylum in 1979 and be mention later on a nicola role model but the movie be never preachy or self righteous about this . again and this complex theme be not impose upon the viewer in a dry and academic manner and but be interweave into a compelling and moving subplot which involve both brother and brings about decisive change in both their life . similarly and the traumatic mafia killing of the sicilian judge giovanni falcone ( early 90 ) be evoke a it deserve and but again and never crowd the plot . there be far more that could be say about la meglio gioventu . but i will give no more away and just a warm recommendation to go and see this accomplished piece of movie making . the fact it win a cannes prize make me more hopeful of it release abroad and especially in the uk and where italian cinema be direly underrepresented ( with the exception of movie that show italy in a quaint or picturesque light ) .