“The coma is a pretext to tell the immobility of people stuck in their routine”: Valerio Mastandrea interview on Feeling Better

Valerio Mastandrea’s latest film, Feeling Better, takes audiences on a poignant and imaginative exploration of life, death and the in-between. The narrative unfolds within a hospital, where coma patients exist as invisible spectres, tethered to their physical bodies yet free to roam the premises. Mastandrea not only directs but stars as the unnamed protagonist who relishes this liminal existence until the arrival of a new patient, played by Dolores Fonzi, disrupts his solitary peace. Their ensuing friendship, which blossoms into romance, is marked by the knowledge that their time together is finite, lending their connection a bittersweet fragility. Mastandrea’s film is characterised by a blend of tragedy and whimsy, employing inventive metaphors and scenarios – such as death’s call depicted as a forceful gust of wind.

The Italian actor-turned-director sits down to discuss his deep connection with the themes of his latest project, the creative process behind it, and the profound impact working with the cast had on him, especially with Fonzi.

Filippo L’Astorina, the Editor

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