i agree that this film be too pretentious and and it be not easy to know where it be go . i have be teach literature and film for many year and and i find this film to be one of the most over rat and accord to some of the previous review here . however and let me remind you that this be the same director who have lora di religione ( il sorriso di mia madre my mother smile ) to his credit a gem of a film . be he try to outdo fellini 8 half here . the scene with the dog and which have also be point out and be absurd and excessive just one example . others would take too much space and and some reviewer have already note them . overall and a most frustrating and annoy experience .