Malanova *** (2024, Nuno Nolasco, Joele Anastasi, Stefano Saccotelli) – Classic Movie Review 13,699

A gay couple are about to celebrate sixth months together when one of them discovers he has become HIV positive, in the intense, wise, emotional 2024 Italian drama film Malanova.

Malanova, ah yes, Bad News. Buckle up boys, life’s going to be a bumpy ride. But just dump guilt and fear, and live in the present, and it’ll be okay. Yes, fear eats the soul.

Joele Anastasi stars as Italian 30something Matteo, and Nuno Nolasco plays Riccardo, his Portuguese boyfriend of six months, and the loving couple are overwhelmed by the bad news that Matteo is HIV positive.

They are soul mates, but this looks like it’s going to destroy them both, individually and as a couple.

Riccardo fears his own HIV status and won’t get tested, and hearing-impaired Matteo shuts down, seeking to refuse treatment, eventually leaving both of them to accept help in facing their fears from a relative, Matteo’s gay uncle (Stefano Saccotelli).

Writer/ director Roberto Cuzzillo’s 2024 Italian drama film Malanova is an intense, wise, highly emotional, personal film, satisfyingly written and admirably acted by its three main players. There aren’t exactly many laughs, but it does have a happy ending of sorts. It’s a valuable, urgent film, capturing the mood and spirit of the times in a backward Italy.

The times are better than they were, apparently, but not good enough, but maybe good enough to survive. It’s not an easy subject to handle, and it may raise a few tears as well as the spirits, but the film does it carefully, sensitively and extremely well.

Quite honestly, the film is as good as a visit to a therapist, so it is well worth a look.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,699

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