CASANOVA’S RETURN

CASANOVA’S RETURN – Italy, 2022, 103 min, Drama

Director: Gabriele Salvatores

Writers: Umberto Contarello, Sara Mozetti, Gabriele Salvatores

Cast: Toni Servillo, Sara Serraiocco, Fabrizio Bentivoglio,

Leo Bernardi is a successful Italian director. He is approaching the end of his career but he cannot accept his slow decline. He has just finished shooting his last movie and he is very depressed. The movie is inspired by Arthur Schnitzler’s novel about Casanova, a character similar to the director, even more than he could possibly  imagine. Schnitzler’s Casanova has aged, his glory days are over: he has lost his charm and he no longer attracts women, he is broke and he no longer wants to travel around Europe. After a long time away from home, all he wants is to get back to his native Venice.  On his way there, he meets a girl, Marcolina. She reawakens his long lost desire. His attempt to seduce her leads him to the tragic understanding that he is an old man now. It is no coincidence that Leo Bernardi has decided to tell this story right now, in this pivotal moment of his life and career. Destiny will lead both Casanova and his director to a final confrontation.