Stunningly shot and deeply resonant, L’ATTESA heralds the arrival of a talented new voice. With Sicily as his backdrop, Piero Messina (assistant director on Paolo Sorrentino’s THE GREAT BEAUTY) navigates a range of emotions in telling the strange, irresistible story of the relationship between two women from different generations. Academy Award®-winner Juliette Binoche stars as Anna, who is meeting her son Giuseppe’s French girlfriend, Jeanne (Lou de Laâge), in the lead up to Easter festivities. Young and enchanting, Jeanne arrived with excitement before Giuseppe, whose continued delays and lack of presence cast a dark, mysterious shadow over the household. Why is Giuseppe not here and when will he appear? As Anna and Jeanne wait, they grow closer than either imagined they would, despite the secrets they’re harboring from one another.
Piero Messina - Writer/Director
Piero Messina was born in Caltagirone in 1981.
Having graduated with honors from DAMS, he took a degree in directing at the Rome Film School. He has made numerous shorts and documentaries.
His short films include TERRA, shown at the 65th Cannes festival in the Cinéfondation section; LA PRIMA LEGGE DI NEWTON, which received a Special Mention at the Rome Film Festival, a nomination for a Silver Ribbon and one for a Golden Globe; and LA PORTA, selected at the Rotterdam Festival. Among his documentaries, PIRRERA was shown at the Rome Film Festival and won, among others, the Libero Bizzarri Prize. He worked as assistant director on Paolo Sorrentino’s films THIS MUST BE THE PLACE and LA GRANDE BELLEZZA (THE GREAT BEAUTY).
He has directed documentaries for RAI and the programme Capolavori Svelati for Sky Arte. In January 2014, he directed the pilot short for the Giorgio Armani project Films of City Frames, aimed at students at some of the most important film schools in the world.
