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Relationship dramas frequently rely on heated confrontations to drive their narratives, but director Anna Foglietta’s debut film “A Common Story” takes a different approach. Drawing on her background as an actor, Foglietta demonstrates that emotional distance can be conveyed through silence just as powerfully as through dialogue. The film, which premiered at Venice’s Orizzonti sidebar, features acclaimed performances from Alba Rohrwacher and Guido Caprino as a married couple struggling to communicate their inner lives.
The story centers on Erika and Mauro, working-class parents who must navigate life after their daughter leaves for university. Once defined by her role as a caregiver—baking, cooking, and tending to family members—Erika finds herself adrift without the structure that previously gave her life meaning. Unable to articulate her emotional turmoil or seek professional help due to limited vocabulary and resources, she begins to deteriorate psychologically. Mauro watches helplessly, trapped by his own inability to express feelings and his expectation that he should be capable of solving any problem.
Foglietta’s directorial sensibility emphasizes the spaces between words and carefully composed visual frames that highlight isolation. The film explores how couples lacking emotional literacy struggle to support one another during life transitions. Through restrained performances and minimal dialogue, the actors convey the profound disconnection between two people bound by love yet separated by their inability to communicate what truly matters.
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Originally reported by Variety →
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