Rome, 1930s. Daughter of an exiled anarchist, Libera Valente cannot stand the fascism that triumphs every day. In order not to jeopardize her husband's tailor's workshop, she must moderate her frequent outbursts of rage against the authorities. One May 1st , Libera is accused of provocation by the police for having dressed in red with her two children. The whole family must leave to live in the provinces, but Libera soon makes herself noticed there for her anti-fascist virulence...
To give his own history of fascism, Mauro Bolognini constructs Liberté, mon amour! as a grotesque farce that gradually disintegrates into tragedy. Through the sublime character of Libera Amore Anarchia, a woman in constant revolt embodied by an inflamed Claudia Cardinale, it is the daily struggle and the revolutionary spirit that are glorified. By indirectly accusing the bureaucratic fascism of the 70s, Mauro Bolognini signs a singular and scathing masterpiece, alongside 1900 by Bernardo Bertolucci and We Loved Each Other So Much by Ettore Scola.
FREEDOM, MY LOVE!
(1975 – Colors – 104 min)
DVD edition only
SUPPLEMENTS
. PREFACE BY JEAN A. GILI (9 mins)
. MAURO BOLOGNINI, BEYOND STYLE (FIRST PART)
(1992 – Color and B&W – 29 min)
an unpublished film by Richard Frances, Jean A. Gili and Philippe Jamont
The first part of a lengthy interview with Mauro Bolognini, with testimonies from Claudia Cardinale, Adriana Asti, Marthe Keller and Dominique Sanda.
. TRAILER
Released July 7, 2010
