Feeling Better


Feeling Better is a 2024 Italian comedy-drama film directed by Valerio Mastandrea from a screenplay by Mastrandea and Enrico Audenino. The film stars Mastandrea and Dolores Fonzi as a hospital patients with different perspectives on life and illness.
Mastandrea's second feature film as director, Nonostante was selected to open the Orizzonti sidebar competition at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on 28 August 2024.

Premise

A man hospitalized with a long-term illness is taken out of his comfort zone by a new patient's anger about her condition.

Cast

Principal photography for Feeling Better took place between September and November 2023 in the frazioni of Fregenae and Maccarese within Fiumicino. The film was shot by cinematographer Guido Michelotti and edited by Chiara Vullo. Tóti Gudnason composed the original score for the film.

Release

Feeling Better premiered on 28 August 2024, where it opened the Orizzonti sidebar section of that year's Venice Film Festival.

Reception

The film has been described as "a small and surreal romantic comedy that nevertheless deviates from the usual ghost film thanks to its very original central idea", and "one of the more accessible cinematic takes on existentialism", featuring "a crowd-pleasing sweep and quirky verve".

Accolades