original title:
Come l'ombra
directed by:
cast:
Anita Kravos, Karolina Porcari, Paolo Pierobon, Loris Carraro, Alessandro Codaglio, Graziella Comana, Cristiana Corradi, Gisella Filipp, Lorenzo Lastrucci, Patrizia Olgiati, Alessandro Stellacci, Ivan Stojanov
screenplay:
cinematography:
editing:
music:
producer:
production:
distribution:
country:
Italy
year:
2006
film run:
87'
format:
HD - colour
release date:
22/06/2007
festivals & awards:
The story centers around the lives of two women: a 30yr old woman named Claudia and a slightly younger Ukranian woman named Olga. Claudia works in a travel agency and at night takes classes to learn Russian. She leads a quiet routine life which suits her, set off every now and then by her small compulsive fixations. One evening during her Russian class, she is introduced to a new teacher who is from the Ukraine: Boris, a handsome and apparently intelligient 40yr.old man. An attraction soon develops between Boris and Claudia. School ends, and with Summer approaching, Claudia decides to plan a vacation to Greece with her friend Sonia and Sonia's boyrfriend. One evening at the end of July, although Boris shows up unexpectedly, he has a precise plan: he needs to find a place for his "cousin" who has left the Ukraine in search of a better life. Claudia is hesitant but in the end agrees to put her up for a few days, since she will soon leave for Greece. A friendship quickly develops between the two women after the usual sense of mistrust, Claudia feels encouraged by the way Olga handles things in such a simple manner. A few days before her departure, on returning home Claudia will find Olga missing. She waits anxiously, but even the next day Olga never shows up. In search of some type of clue, Claudia rummages through Olga's belongings and finds a passport and a picture of Olga and Boris in an embrace : it was just as she had thought. When she finally calls Boris, he is cold and distant. Claudia will find herself having to accept Olga's disappearance and face things on her own. At this point, the only thing left for her to do is cancel her vacation and begin her search for Olga in Milan, during the deserted month of August. She will finally give up and report Olga as missing to the police . At the beginning of September Claudia will make one last attempt: she will track Boris down through the school records, but when she goes to his home , there are other people living there and no sign of Boris. The phone call from the police will erase all doubt and lead to a series of decisions and actions that will put an end to her anxiety.