The Cannes International film festival is now in full swing and we were eagerly waiting for the screening of Italian movie director Marco Bellocchio’s Vincere or To Win, which took place yesterday; the movie which tells the story of Benito Mussolini’s first love caused quite a stir and the reviews were not particularly good.
Mr Bellocchio tried to shed a new light on this lesser known episode in Mussolini’s life.
I’m sure that many of you didn’t know that Mussolini ‘s first marriage ended up in tragedy with the young wife called Ida Dalser locked up in an asylum for life.
Estranged from his husband (who abandoned her for good when the Fist World War broke out) and her child, the poor girl went through hell and died alone and forgotten.
Not better fared the child Benito Albino who lived in a poorhouse for years.
On the whole it’s a dark movie which tries to chart the life of this unhappy woman who instantly fell in love with Benito on a train and did her best to help him in his political career, giving him all her money to finance his newspaper Il Popolo d’Italia.
In return, the Duce treated her cruelly, systematically trying to eliminate these facts (marriage included) from his life.
She was maltreated, stalked and eventually locked up in a lunatic bin for life.
The movie is roughly based on two books respectively called Mussolin’s Marriage by Marco Zeni and Mussolini’s Secret Child by Alfredo Pieroni, and on Fabrizio Laurenti and Gianfranco Norelli’s documentary film Mussolini’s Secret.
Actress Giovanna Mezzogiorno plays Ida Dalser, the first wife, while actor Filippo Timi plays two roles, the young Mussolini and in the second part of the movie Mussolini’ s secret son, Benito Albino.
Despite the faults in the movie, both actors did a great job and their performances left one thirsty for more.
The engineering firm Wood Group experiences a dramatic decline in share value due to an independent financial review.
Dougie Mackenzie’s dedication and family support lead to prestigious award in Glasgow.
Momcozy's 'Stand Up for Mums', a show to discover the beauty of motherhood.
Unwind in luxurious spa hotels that offer rejuvenating experiences within reach of the city.
A couple leaves urban life behind for their dream jobs on the Isle of Rum.
Despite the Saudi Pro League champions' persistent pursuit, Liverpool remains resolute in their stance, making it abundantly clear that Salah is not for sale
The Emonika project, featuring shopping centre, apartments, two hotels and offices is set to redefine the city’s skyline and the concept of modern office spaces in Ljubljana.
The Legacy Entrepreneurship Acceleration Programme offers vital support for dairy start-ups.
Entrepreneurs Thomas Lindie and David Taylor launch a unique outdoor store in Aberdeen.
Chronic itch, lasting longer than six weeks, can be debilitating and is associated with various medical conditions.