Genre: Romantic Comedy

Language: Italian with English Subtitles

Director: Paolo Virzì

Cast: Isabella Ragonese, Valerio Mastandrea, Sabrina Ferilli, Elio Germano, Massimo Ghini, Micaela Ramazzotti, Valentina Carnelutti

Released: 2008

Duration: 116 Minutes

Rating: M contains violence, offensive language, drug use and sex scenes

Distribution: Palace Films

Winner 2008 Italian Golden Globes: Best film and Best actress (Sabrina Ferilli).

"Hands down one of the best Italian comedies in recent years." – Variety

“One of the best Italian films of the decade” – Il Giornale

This year's acclaimed opening night selection is the irresistible new film from Paolo Virzi (‘Caterina in the big city’, ‘Hardboiled egg’): a sharp and witty satire that centres on the lives, loves and struggles of the employees of an Italian call centre.

Marta (Isabella Ragonese, in a star-making turn) is a brilliant philosophy graduate who can't manage to secure work in her chosen field, a sharp contrast to her peers who have dropped out of college, but are steadily climbing the career ladder.  A chance encounter with a young single mother (Micaela Ramazotti) leads her to a part-time position as a telemarketer. Her new workplace, led by the outrageous Daniela (Sabrina Ferilli ‘Christmas in love’), fosters a distinctly American style of motivational exercises and cutthroat sales techniques.  But incongruously, after some initial reluctance and confusion, Marta takes to her new job like a fish to water.

On the surface, with its surreal juxtaposition of motivational psychology and reality-show feel, Virzì's vision is more whimsical comedy than biting reportage. But like other masters of the popular ‘commedia all'italiana' genre, Virzì's underlying critique of Italian society pulls no punches.