The Son's room = La Stanza Del Figlio

This melancholic and intimate Italian drama tackles the subject of death of a child and the catastrophic after effects on family. Giovanni is a successful psychoanalyst residing in a quaint seaside town. He has a warm and tender relationship with his wife, and two adolescent children - son, Andrea and daughter, Irene. This family is loving and understanding, interested in one another and well adjusted. Focussing on Giovanni, he is depicted as affectionate and caring even as he worries about Andrea’s attitude and troubles at school. This idyllic calm is shattered when Andrea accidentally drowns and the remainder of the film examines how each individual family member adjusts to Andrea’s death, deals with their loss and how the family struggles on as a unit. Internalising his sorrow and guilt, Giovanni plays out endless streams of ‘what-ifs’, whilst his isolation corrodes his relationships with wife and daughter. Part of the appeal of Moretti’s film is his observation of the ordinariness of grief and the moments where it strikes, achieving true pathos and catharsis. Written, directed and starring Moretti, “The Son’s room” is a poignant and compassionate work that is effective and understated as it gently examines the difficulties inherent within mourning and death. Cast includes Nanni Moretti, Laura Morante, Silvio Orlando and Stefano Accorsi.