Bianco e nero (2008)

Director:

Cristina Comencini

Writers:

Giulia Calenda (writer)
Cristina Comencini (writer)

Release Date:

11 January 2008 (Italy)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot Keywords:

Interracial Romance | Male Female Relationship | Extramarital Affair | Racism | Sex

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

Fabio Volo	...	Carlo
Ambra Angiolini	...	Elena
Aïssa Maïga	...	Nadine
Eriq Ebouaney	...	Bertrand
Katia Ricciarelli	...	Olga
Anna Bonaiuto	...	Adua
Franco Branciaroli	...	Alfonso
Teresa Saponangelo	...	Esmeralda
Billo Thiernothian	...	Ahamdou
Awa Ly	...	Veronique
Bob Messini	...	Dante
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Pierpaolo Benigni
Letizia Sedrick	...	Uce
Thierno Thiam	...	Amadou

Also Known As:

Black and White (International: English title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Italy:T | Australia:M

Company:

Cattleya

Truly Black and White

A genuinely lovely comedy. Very enjoyable. The way this film deals with racism is softened by its lightness. Probably, as a drama, it could have been almost painful to watch. The actors are all superb. The tempo never sags. The issues at hand are quite explosive: Irrepressible adultery, interracial couple, violence against women, outdated macho mores, women dominated by men --nowadays!!-- and more. But all this, as said before, treated as a light comedy. Fast and witty dialog, interspersed with some French and an African language that I must confess, I don't know its name. Some very funny moments, like the one most remarkable to me when we see the black help working in the kitchen, having heard what it's all about, laughs openly, utterly delighted by the whole conundrum going on in the living room. Top notch! It's fantastic to see how, even when nowadays we consider ourselves SO modern, the knowledge of a wife or husband having an extramarital affair, can bring down our confidence in seconds and practically destroys us. Why in the world can't we understand that maybe --MAYBE-- the other half of the couple has some needs that we cannot fulfill? Some need that he or she finds in another human being that fits perfectly into that void and completes, as a triangle, a situation that wasn't perfect, to start with? Neither this man or this woman desires to leave their official family. They would be contented with having their respective affair parallel to their marriage. But that is not possible. The humiliated 'half' cries vengeance! And this way the whole structure collapses under so much pressure from all sides. The end of the movie is very good. Life is something that we experience only ONCE, so, you better live NOW, before it's too late!