“It’s not a country for singles” is a film that almost sounds like a provocation in an Italy where, given the facts, there are more and more singles. Based on the bestseller by romance author Felicia Kingsley, the title arrives on Prime Video on May 8th with Matilde Gioli and Cristiano Caccamo as protagonists. The protagonist of the story is Elisa (Gioli), a young single mother (and convincingly so) who manages the “Le Giuggiole” estate in Tuscany: her life will change when Michele (Caccamo), an old childhood friend who will upset her feelings, returns to the village.
In short, the story develops faithfully following the canons of the classic romantic comedy, while seeking a touch of modernity. “My character,” explains Gioli, “believes that being a strong woman necessarily means giving up the possibility of experiencing love, but this is wrong: I too have experienced these thoughts in the past, but I understood that one thing does not exclude the other.” Caccamo adds: “Today we tend to dream less, but romantic comedies exist precisely for this: to remind us how to dream.”
Not a country for singles, the interview with Felicia Kingsley: “Romance today? Women who don’t look for happiness in someone else”
In fact, in recent years the rom-com had seen a surge in popularity, after having experienced a golden age between the 1990s and 2000s. But, in light of this return, what are the ingredients of the perfect contemporary romantic comedy? “Felicia is perfect”, explains director Laura Chiossone “because it works on the canons of the genre but also on overturning stereotypes. It often depicts very strong women and fragile men, willing to love at any cost. Furthermore, Felicia’s women are finally an erotic subject, not an object”.
