The Salt of Life (Gianni Di Gregorio)

(Edit: We went to see The Salt of Life yesterday, at the very comfortable Picturehouse in Greenwich. It was as enjoyable as I'd hoped, with some beautiful subtle touches that reflect perfectly the male outlook on life.

The atmosphere of the film was very similar to Mid-August Lunch, and many of the same cast members shone again - especially the marvellous Valeria de Franciscis as his mother.

My only reservation would be that the ending wasn't totally satisfactory, although the little montage that ends the film, to Here Comes Your Man by (the) Pixies, was an absolute joy.

In addition, Mid-August Lunch was on BBC Four last night - so it'll be available on iPlayer until, hmm, let's think, 12:54am on Wednesday 24 August.)

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A couple of years ago we were lucky enough to see Gianni Di Gregorio's lovely film Mid-August Lunch, which won the Satyajit Ray Award. I blogged about it here.

Anyway, it was a very nice surprise to get an email from the Barbican Cinema saying that his new film, The Salt of Life, will be on from the end of the week. Here's the blurb and a trailer:

Following on from his charming debut feature Mid-August Lunch , Italy’s answer to Woody Allen returns with this wonderfully poignant comedy. Writer–director Gianni Di Gregorio orchestrates and stars as a retired man entering his autumn years. Concerned about his diminished lust for life, he craves more passion, but after a period of reflection he understands that chasing women is perhaps a young man's game after all.

After co-writing 2008’s revered Gomorrah , a gruesome exposé of the Neopolitan underworld, Di Gregorio proves himself as a charismatic auteur with his second gentle and witty ode to growing old. The Salt of Life is a fresh taste of Italian cinema that’s sure to delight audiences.

'Writer/director Gianni Di Gregorio flaunts his chops on both sides of the camera with his follow-up to Mid-August Lunch. Salty, charming stuff.' - Empire

'A poignant comedy, charming and melancholy' - Total Film