In 1999, Virzì directed "Baci e abbracci" ("Kisses and Hugs"), a blend of fable, social comedy and a Christmas tale à la Dickens. Yet its most obvious reference is to Gogol’s "The Inspector General" that had already inspired Luigi Zampa’s "Anni ruggenti" in 1962. "Baci e abbracci" is an ensemble piece about a group of ex-factory workers who try to start up an ostrich farm in the middle of Tuscany. In this movie, Virzì once again portrays Italian provincial society seduced by the irresistible appeal of modernity. His younger brother, Carlo Virzì, who plays the frontman of a band called "Snaporaz", is in fact the author of the music of several of Virzì’s films and made his own film début in 2006 with "L’estate del mio primo bacio", written and scripted by Paolo.