Ti voglio bene Eugenio

Veteran actor Guiancarlo Giannini climaxes his incredible acting career as Eugenio, the now middle-aged man with down syndrome, whose adolescence we get to see in brief flash backs. Eugenio seemed constantly surrounded by two beautiful young girls about his age. Although they appeared to be mocking and taking advantage of him, Eugenio enjoyed their company. One girl had to "leave town", while the other soon after died of lung cancer (at her age?). -- The girl who "left", mysteriously reappeared 20 years later. She claims to have come back for Eugenio, but he soon finds out the whole story....

This film is extremely moving, encorporating many touching scenes to show how loved and appreciated Eugenio was in his community and family. His well-to do brother visits every few months, each time trying to pursuade Eugenio to move back with his family (where Eugenio had apparently lived for awhile, then decided to go back to his birth place). Townspeople respect Eugenio, he is quite talented at many things, most of all the art of cooking. He cooks, he eats, he cooks, eats, eats, eats.

The most compelling argument for how wonderful a persons's life can be, regardless of any birth defects, is the way Eugenio convinces a young pregnant woman, who stood at the decision to abort her down syndrome child, to change her mind and give birth.

The final scene is priceless!

Never has a film moved me to tears like this one did; and I've seen a lot of films! Bene! Bene! Multo multo bene!