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

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

The 30-minute film serves as the sequel to the short movie produced in 2019, part of the Fare Cinema (Making Cinema) training program.

According to the synopsis: “In a single day, Fausto, who thrives on inertia, witnesses an unusual stream of visitors. These include a sweet-talking village priest, a mysterious man with a bizarre ghost-themed business idea, and a captain of the Carabinieri suggesting a shotgun wedding between his daughter, pregnant by a stranger, and Fausto.

“Late at night, a pair of thieves, teamed up with Barbara, break into Fausto’s house. Ever impassive and bored, Fausto reassures the thieves that there is nothing left to steal—no gold, no paintings, as everything has been sold. They chat until sunrise when the thieves leave, and Barbara starts preparing coffee.”

Bellocchio commented: “‘Se posso permettermi – Capitolo II’ is a bittersweet, hopefully humorous farewell to a house where I spent much of my life and shot several films, including ‘I pugni in tasca’. Inside, I can still see the photographs of my uncles who died young. It’s a final (?) goodbye from Fausto, who is somewhat a part of me, my brother Alberto, my brother Piergiorgio, all my siblings, and my children Pier Giorgio and Elena. Unlike Fausto, we have all continued to work past retirement, except my children.”

Bellocchio continued, “I initially conceived and wrote the film myself, but it was later revised with the students of the 2023 advanced film training course Bottega XNL – Making Cinema. It was shot together with the students and professional actors who effortlessly brought their roles to life. It has been a delightful experience for all involved.”

The producers of the film include Simone Gattoni at Kavac Film, Rai Cinema, and Paola Pedrazzini at Fondazione Fare Cinema.

Marco Bellocchio first garnered international attention with his debut film “I pugni in tasca” (Fists in the Pocket), which was awarded at Locarno in 1965. In 2011, the Venice Film Festival honored him with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.

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, went on to win six David di Donatello and seven Nastri d’Argento awards. In 2021, his documentary “Marx può aspettare” (Marx Can Wait) was screened at Cannes, and he received the Honorary Palme d’Or the same year.

In 2022, Bellocchio returned to Cannes with “Esterno notte,” which won accolades at the European Film Awards and four David di Donatello awards. In 2023, his film “Rapito” (Kidnapped: The Abduction of Edgardo Mortara) competed at Cannes.