Festival del Film Locarno x House of Switzerland

Bianca by Nanni Moretti (1984)

95 min, o.v. st. French

“Nanni Moretti’s Bianca reminds us that the great Italian filmmaker was the object of a unique   retrospective, accompanied by a book published by Cahiers du Cinéma, which explores, along with numerous other issues, his passion for sports – in the plural.” Carlo Chatrian, Artistic Director

Michele Apicella, a teacher, moves into a new house and gets to know his neighbours, Siro Siri, an old man obsessed by women and his desire to get the most out of life, and young couple Massimiliano and Aurora. Next morning Michele goes to the Marilyn Monroe Institute, an unusual institution where teachers are invited to consult a psychologist. At school, Michele is sympathetic to two young students who are in love but who face parental disapproval. He ends up being invited by the young girl’s parents to a formal dinner, where he pleads the boy’s case. At home, Michele spies on Massimiliano and Aurora. By chance he discovers that she is seeing another man. A new French teacher appears at school: Bianca. She immediately enchants all her male colleagues. The following morning, the police storm the house opposite Michele’s and report the death of the young couple. Meanwhile, Michele has embarked on a relationship with Bianca. The police inspector interrogates Michele: he is suspicious and does not want to release him but Bianca gives him an alibi...