Genre: Romantic Drama

Language: Italian with English Subtitles

Director: Maria Sole Tognazzi

Cast: Pierfrancesco Favino, Ksenia Rappoport, Monica Bellucci, Piera Degli Esposti

Released: 2008

Duration: 94 Minutes

Rating: M contains sex scenes & offensive language

Distribution: Adriana Chiesa

Maria Sole Tognazzi follows her actor/writer/director father Ugo and brother Ricky in an accomplished family tradition with her intense third feature that opened the 2008 Rome International Film Festival.

The film traces two significant, successive and opposite love stories of the almost forty year-old pharmacist Roberto (Pierfrancesco Favino). One is with Sara (Ksenia Rappoport ‘The Unknown Woman’) a hotel desk manager in Torino, while the other is with Alba (Monica Bellucci), a chic art gallery curator. Roberto envies the romantic success of his beloved, gay younger brother Carlo (Michele Alhaique) who is deliriously happy with lover Yuri (Glen Blackhall), but can’t find the right emotional groove himself.  The game of love has Roberto assume opposing roles in his own relationships, experiencing both the sweetness and cruelty of love, and ultimately love’s own revenge.

Offering a rarely seen woman's perspective on a man's experience of love and heartbreak, ‘The Man who Loves’ features up and coming Hollywood actor Favino (‘Saturn in Opposition’, ‘The Last Kiss’) who charms us with his sexuality and machismo, alongside the magical Monica Bellucci.

“Monica Bellucci is glorious … a beautiful, telling and honest performance.” Reel review.