Facing Windows (2003) La finestra di fronte (original title)

Director:

Ferzan Ozpetek

Writers:

Ferzan Ozpetek (writer)
Gianni Romoli (writer)

Release Date:

18 June 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Desire knows no bounds.

Plot:

Overburdened and stuck in a greying marriage, Giovanna takes to caring for the Jewish Holocaust survivor her husband brings home. As she begins to reflect on her life, she turns to the man who lives across from her ...

Plot Keywords:

Memory | Old Man | Lost | Marriage | Love

Awards:

21 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

Giovanna Mezzogiorno	...	Giovanna
Massimo Girotti	...	Simone / Davide Veroli
Raoul Bova	...	Lorenzo
Filippo Nigro	...	Filippo
Serra Yilmaz	...	Eminè
Maria Grazia Bon	...	Sara
Massimo Poggio	...	Young Davide
Ivan Bacchi	...	Simone
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chiara Andreis
Veronica Bruni	...	2ª Tintora
Olimpia Carlisi	...	Donna negozio
Ohame-Brancy Chibuzo	...	Alessio (as Ohame Brancy Chibuzo)
Carlo Daniele	...	Marco
Rosaria De Cicco	...	Barista
Luciana De Falco	...	Marilena (as Lucianna De Falco)
Barbara Folchitto
Francesca Gamba
Benedetta Gargari	...	Martina
Enrico Grassi	...	Vittorio
Serena Habtom Mehari	...	Microbo (as Serena Habton Mehari)
Flavio Insinna	...	Uomo forno
Elisabeth Kaza	...	Padrona negozio (as Elisabeth Kasza)
Patrizia Loreti	...	1ª Tintora
Francesco Martino
Caterina Quaranta
Maurizio Romoli	...	La spia
Giorgio Sgobbi	...	Barman
Thierno Thiam
Billo Thiernothian	...	Giambo
Claudia Verdat
Giovanni Verdesca

Directed by
Ferzan Ozpetek

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ferzan Ozpetek		writer
Gianni Romoli		writer

Produced by
Tilde Corsi	....	producer
Gianni Romoli	....	producer

Original Music by
Andrea Guerra

Cinematography by
Gianfilippo Corticelli

Film Editing by
Patrizio Marone

Casting by
Pino Pellegrino

Art Direction by
Andrea Crisanti

Set Decoration by
Massimiliano Nocente

Costume Design by
Katia Dottori		(as Catia Dottori)

Makeup Department
Marco Catalucci	....	hair stylist
Aurora Gambelli	....	key hair stylist
Anna Maria Romoli	....	makeup artist (as Annamaria Romoli)
Ermanno Spera	....	makeup artist
Maura Turchi	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Lilia Cioccarelli	....	production manager
Giordano Esposito	....	production supervisor
Maurizio Gallozzi	....	production supervisor
Giovanni Ledda	....	production supervisor
Alessandro Mattei	....	general organizator

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Andrea De Sica	....	second assistant director
Gaia Filardo	....	assistant director
Gianluca Mazzella	....	assistant director
Nicola Scorza	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Massimiliano Leoni	....	assistant props
Lily Pungitore	....	assistant production designer
Oreste Quercioli	....	scenic painter
Massimo Sergianni	....	construction manager

Sound Department
Paolo Amici	....	sound effects editor
Benedetto Atria	....	sound editor
Doug Cooper	....	sound re-recording mixer
Marzia Cordò	....	dialogue editor
Felicity Cottrell	....	foley artist
Enzo Diliberto	....	foley artist
Robert Farr	....	sound re-recording mixer
Francesca Genevois	....	assistant sound editor
Marco Grillo	....	sound
Nigel Mills	....	sound editor: UK
Claudio Paolucci	....	boom operator
Daniele Quadroli	....	sound effects editor
David Quadroli	....	sound effects editor
Fabrizio Quadroli	....	sound effects editor
Mike Ross-Trevor	....	sound engineer (as Mike Ross Trevor)
James Seddon	....	dolby consultant
Ruth Sullivan	....	foley artist
Mike Wood	....	sound editor: UK
Maurizio Casula	....	sound: UK (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Fernando Sabelli	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Riccardo Beroli	....	digital effects
Sergio Cremasco	....	colourist
Alberto Mantini	....	digital effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Luigi Andrei	....	camera and steadicam operator
Daniele Anzellotti	....	grip
Alessio Bastianelli	....	focus puller
Umberto Bramucci	....	electrician
Bruno Colanzi	....	key grip
Francesca D'Antoni	....	assistant camera
Simone De Marinis	....	grip
Daniele Dessena	....	grip
Romolo Eucalitto	....	still photographer
Leonardo Fanone	....	generator operator
Sergio Gabrielli	....	grip
Gian Claudio Giacomini	....	assistant camera
Patrizio Marra	....	grip
Vincenzo Morabito	....	electrician
Alessandro Rossi	....	electrician
Marco Sticchi	....	gaffer
Massimo Tanfani	....	grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Costanza Bastanti	....	assistant costumer
Natasha Marinacci	....	wardrobe
Patrizia Martella	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
Elide Camberini	....	color technician
Pasquale Cuzzupoli	....	color supervisor
Francesco Garrone	....	assistant editor
Andrea Prosperi	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Chris Cozens	....	assistant music recording engineer
Ryu Kawashima	....	assistant music recording engineer
Nigel Mills	....	music editor
Luca Salvadori	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Laura Curreli	....	script supervisor
Ottaviano Dell'Acqua	....	master of arms
Leandro Fabbri	....	production secretary
Vittorio Giovine	....	production secretary
Jim Hajicosta	....	post-production accountant
Germana Pierucci	....	production coordinator
Michele Protano	....	production secretary
Monica Verzolini	....	production assistant
Arzu Volkan	....	backstage director

Thanks
Massimo Girotti	....	in memory of

Production Companies

• R&C Produzioni
• AFS Film
• Clap Filmes
• Redwave Films

Distributors

• Alfa Films (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Cinemien (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2004) (Canada) (theatrical)
• SPI International (2003) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• SPI International (2004) (Slovakia) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2004) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Vértigo Films (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Zootrope Films (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Cecchi Gori Home Video (2004) (Italy) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Free Dolphin Entertainment (2006) (France) (DVD)
• Homescreen (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Mikado Film
• Mikado

Special Effects

• Blue Gold

Other Companies

• Goldcrest Post Production London  sound re-recorded at
• Penta Studio  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

"La finestra di fronte" - Italy (original title)
"The Window Opposite" - International (English title) (literal English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexuality

Runtime:

106 min | USA:102 min

Country:

Italy | Turkey | Portugal | UK

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-11 | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:M18 | USA:R | Argentina:13 | Brazil:14 | UK:15 | Spain:13 | Chile:Y7 | South Korea:15 | Italy:T

Filming Locations:

Ponte Sisto, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

R&C Produzioni

Trivia:

Massimo Girotti died on 6 January 2003 and the movie is dedicated to his memory. Before he was cast, Ferzan Ozpetek had considered also Jean Rochefort and Serge Reggiani for his role.

Soundtrack:

Ma che freddo fa

Graceful and unpretentious

An Italian movie that starts as a pleasant but otherwise unremarkable tale of a nine year old marriage and an old man wandering the streets with no memory and a pocketful of money. We are drawn in by the rather lovable (if all too human and imperfect) characters until, half way through, the film explodes with moments of real beauty, passion and tenderness. The cinematography deftly weaves flashbacks and fleeting glances from within the minds of the main characters, their memories merging seamlessly for a few moments with the real life around them. The script contains gems that you want to remember.

Italian star Giovanna Mezzogiorno is superb as the wife who seems to be locked in a constant struggle with her husband and attracted to the man in the apartment facing theirs. But Facing Window proves to be far more than melodrama triangle: echoes of the Nazi holocaust and the inner strength to realize one's true feelings, as well as one's true calling ... 'it isn't enough to dream about a better life, you must demand it.' For those who like something more substantial to their cinema than popcorn and nachos, Facing Window fits the bill with effortless grace.