Matt and Mara
$10.50
Dir. Carolina Cavalli
2022, Italy, 94 min
Italian with English subtitles
Born into an upper-class family with a doting mother who foots the bill for her indolent lifestyle, 24-year-old combative Amanda (emerging talent Benedetta Porcaroli) searches for boyfriends but only finds misfits who are repelled by her intensity. She longs for connection but has never had a friend of her own… until she discovers a long lost childhood bond, spurring a mission to convince another recluse that they are still best friends. A playful, provocative feature debut from writer-director Carolina Cavalli.
“In a world where everyone feels lonely, Amanda might be our most authentic avatar, someone willing to get super weird in the hopes it will lead somewhere great.” – Kate Erbland, indieWire
“For her debut feature, Cavalli’s character study of a sardonic protagonist offers a unique voice to coming-of-age anxiety.” – Maxwell Rabb, Chicago Reader