The Shadow of the Day explained

The Shadow of the Day
Director:	Giuseppe Piccioni
Producer:	Riccardo Scamarcio
Screenplay:	Giuseppe Piccioni Gualtiero Rosella Annick Emdin
Starring:	Riccardo Scamarcio Benedetta Porcaroli
Music:	Michele Braga
Cinematography:	Michele D'Attanasio
Editing:	Esmeralda Calabria
Production Companies:	Lebowski Rai Cinema
Runtime:	128 minutes^[1]
Country:	Italy
Language:	Italian
Budget:	€3.1 million

The Shadow of the Day (Italian: '''L'ombra del giorno''') is a 2022 Italian film written and directed by Giuseppe Piccioni, starring Riccardo Scamarcio and Benedetta Porcaroli, set in Italy in 1938. Piccioni wrote the screenplay with Gualtiero Rosella and Annick Emdin. It is produced by Scamarcio through his Lebowski production company, in association with Rai Cinema.

Premise

Luciano (Scamarcio) runs a restaurant in a small Italian town. He is a decorated veteran of World War I, but was badly wounded and walks with a limp. He seems to sympathize with the Fascist regime but he is not a member of the party, and although he reprimands his kitchen staff for political insubordination he does not report them. A young educated Jewish woman Anna (Porcaroli) arrives at his restaurant begging him for work, but things get complicated when her husband, on run from the regime, arrives.^[2]

Cast

• Riccardo Scamarcio as Luciano
• Benedetta Porcaroli as Anna
• Lino Musella as Osvaldo
• Vincenzo Nemolato as Giovanni
• Sandra Ceccarelli as Madre Corrado
• Valeria Bilello as Amelia
• Waël Sersoub as Emile

Production

Writer-director Giuseppe Piccioni wrote the screenplay with Gualtiero Rosella and Annick Emdin. Riccardo Scamarcio stars and produces. The film was made on a €2.8 million ($3.1 million) budget, and produced by Scamarcio through Lebowski in association with RAI Cinema.^[3]

Filming

In January 2021, principal photography was announced to be concentrated in the Italian city of Ascoli Piceno.^[4] Filming began in March 2021.^[5] Filming locations include the Caffè Meletti which overlooks the Piazza del Popolo, the Via delle Stelle, the garden of Palazzo Saladini Pilastri, Tufillo Bridge and the Riserva Naturale Regionale Sentina.^[6]

Release

The film had a premiere in the city of Ascoli Piceno on 23 February 2022, and was released national wide in Italy on February 24, 2022.^{[7] [8]}

Reception

Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian described it as “involving” and praised the performances of the lead actors. Bradshaw commented that it showed a “traditional kind of moviemaking, robustly made“.^[9]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Shadow of the Day. Rotten Tomatoes. 11 November 2023.
2. Web site: New Italian film about love in fascist Italy, shows the complex lives of Italian Jews and gentiles. Jerusalem Post. 11 November 2023. Hannah. Brown. 21 April 2023.
3. Web site: Variety. 11 November 2023. RAI Com Takes World Sales on ‘Shadow of the Day,’ Starring Riccardo Scamarcio (EXCLUSIVE). February 12, 2022. Nick. Vivarelli.
4. Web site: Scamarcio in Ascoli to shoot a film directed by Piccioni. Project under construction. Centropagina.it. 11 November 2023. Marco. Traini. January 19, 2021.
5. Web site: Ascoli, Generic casting for the film 'The shadow of the day' directed by Giuseppe Piccioni starring Riccardo Scamarcio. ascoli.cityrunours.it. 11 November 2023. February 22, 2021.
6. Web site: Press conference of L'Ombra del Giorno at Caffè Meletti. Piccioni and Scamarcio enthusiastic about Ascoli, next week we will shoot at Sentina in San Benedetto del Tronto. Farodiroma. 11 November 2023. 17 April 2021.
7. Web site: MYmovies.it. The shadow of the day, from Thursday 24 February at the cinema. 11 November 2023. 15 February 2022.
8. Web site: L'ombra del giorno' preview Actors in the dining room and dinner of the Thirties. il Resto del Carlino. 23 February 2022. 11 November 2023.
9. Web site: Peter. Bradshaw. The Shadow of the Day review – old-fashioned romantic drama with war lurking on the horizon. The Guardian. 9 November 2023.