Marco Bellocchio’s ‘May I Say? Chapter Two’ Debuts Clip

Marco Bellocchio‘s “Se posso permettermi Capitolo II” (May I Say? Chapter Two), which has its world premiere Sunday in the Out of Competition section of the Venice Film Festival, has debuted a first clip (below). Rai Cinema is handling world sales.

The 30-minute film is the sequel to the short of the same name made in 2019 as part of the Fare Cinema (Making Cinema) training program.

The synopsis reads as follows: “Over the course of one day, Fausto, invincible in his inertia, watches a paradoxical procession of visitors pass by: the mellifluous village parish priest; a mysterious man with his absurd idea of a ghost-themed business; the captain of the Carabinieri who proposes a shotgun wedding with his daughter, who’s carrying the child of a stranger.

“Finally, late at night, a pair of thieves, in cahoots with Barbara, break into the house. Fausto surprises them, as always impassive and bored, and reassures them: there is nothing left, no gold or paintings, everything has been sold. The three can only chat until sunrise, when the thieves leave and Barbara puts the coffee on the stove.”

In a statement, Bellocchio says: “‘Se posso permettermi – Capitolo II’ is a sad and (hopefully) funny farewell from a house where I spent many years of my life (since childhood) and where I set many films (it is the house of ‘I pugni in tasca’). Where I once more can see the photographs of my uncles who died young. Pascoli looms. A final (?) farewell from a man, Fausto, who is part me, my brother Alberto, my brother Piergiorgio, all my brothers and sisters and my children Pier Giorgio and Elena. Unlike Fausto, however, for better or for worse all of us have worked and still do, even though we are well past retirement age. Except my children.

“I conceived and wrote the film myself, but it was later reworked and partially rewritten with the students of the 2023 advanced film training course Bottega XNL – Making Cinema. Then shot together with the students and with fine professionals (like every year), and generously played by exceptional actors who in short order inhabited their respective roles with fantastic results. It has been a beautiful game for everyone.”

The producers are Simone Gattoni at Kavac Film, Rai Cinema and Paola Pedrazzini at Fondazione Fare Cinema.

Bellocchio’s debut film “I pugni in tasca” (Fists in the Pocket), awarded at Locarno in 1965, brought him to international attention. In 2011, he received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival.

In 2016, his film “Fai bei sogni” (Sweet Dreams) opened the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival. “Il traditore” (The Traitor), presented in competition at Cannes in 2019, won six David di Donatello and seven Nastri d’Argento. In 2021, he presented the documentary “Marx può aspettare” (Marx Can Wait) at Cannes and in the same year he received the Honorary Palme d’Or. In 2022, he was again at Cannes with the premiere of “Esterno notte,” awarded at the European Film Awards and winner of four David di Donatello. In 2023, “Rapito” (Kidnapped: The Abduction of Edgardo Mortara) played in competition at Cannes.