A NETFLIX SERIES
The house is really special.
No. There's no elevator, and it's 99 steps to get there,
but it's worth going to the top because you'll fall in love with it.
So those were the bedrooms
and, uh, back in the hallway, which you've already seen.
- Mm-hmm. - We have a beautiful flooring here too.
Uh, it's graniglia, late 1800s
Uh, after you.
Thanks.
You'll be blown away.
The biggest highlight of the house.
The living room. 60 square meters, lots of light.
- Isn't it wonderful? - It's nice.
But, I mean, we'd always have to keep the curtains closed here. Right?
Otherwise, it'd be like living with that lady next-door.
"Good morning!" Come on.
- Hey there. Can I come in? - Hello.
- Good morning. - Morning.
Ms. Verna?
Carlo Pentecoste.
We talked this morning about the appointment?
Right, right. I'm so sorry.
I got confused, and I must have double-booked the appointments.
Oh.
I don't know. Uh, would you mind waiting a moment?
Hmm. Unfortunately, I would.
I have an important work meeting right after this. I'm sorry.
Well, if it's so important, um,
could we finish the tour together maybe?
If there's no other alternative.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
So much natural light. Right?
Uh, yeah.
This is one of the rare places in Milan
where there isn't a tall building, um, blocking the sunlight.
You should see the color of the sunset from here.
- It's probably hot in summer. - Yeah. I'm sure.
Well, I mean, it's a very bright room.
And, uh, the bedrooms already have air conditioning too.
Right. I'd like to see it again.
- Yeah. If you don't mind. Thanks. - Or course.
So beautiful, huh?
The house.
So many details.
- I'm, uh, glad that you like it. - A lot.
At least from what I could see.
Yeah. It's a really big apartment.
There's lots of areas to discover.
And I can't wait to discover everything.
- Will the apartment be just for you then? - Yep.
It's a really big house for just one person, wouldn't you say?
We have to go now.
- Yes. Because I have a meeting. - Excuse me.
- Thank you. - Sure.
Perfect.
I hope, uh, the visit and the house met all of your expectations.
Well, it's not really all it says on the internet.
- So thanks a lot. - Goodbye.
♪ I've been having... ♪
♪ Trip and I fall in ♪
Nothing to say?
♪ How am I so deep in love? ♪
♪ When I dream of dying ♪
♪ I never feel so loved ♪
♪ Wait, if I'm on fire ♪
♪ How am I so deep in love? ♪
♪ When I dream of dying ♪
♪ I never feel so loved ♪
And you?
What are you feeling?
I'm not feeling safe.
She's not feeling safe.
Lara says she's not feeling safe.
But why?
- No. Close your eyes! - Oh. Sorry.
Uh, maybe she's scared of getting discovered.
Uh, maybe the man and the woman
are arguing about something really intimate.
Maybe. Maybe that could be true,
but let's try to give it more value, more importance to the words,
to the details.
Lara was specific. She said she wasn't feeling safe.
But why? Why, huh?
Sofia, tell me.
Not feeling safe is something often connected to one's childhood,
when you're supposed to be protected by adults.
So, uh,
she's a child, I assume.
And the people fighting are her parents.
And she doesn't like it.
She doesn't like it because
they symbolize safety for her.
Okay.
Everybody, open your eyes.
How do you feel?
The darkness we had to fill made me feel free.
You could sit down. Yes, but go ahead.
There's more than that.
- There's no fear of judgment. - Right.
The fear of being judged.
Which is... which is the fear that doesn't allow us to live intensely,
and therefore, doesn't allow us to write freely.
That's the question we have to ask ourselves.
To whom do we owe our own fidelity?
Is it to others?
Or to ourselves?
Hi.
I'm waiting for Daniele.
Daniele's not here.
But why?
Tendinitis. I'm filling in for him.
Andrea.
Margherita.
Lie down.
When did the strain start?
Um,
five years ago, uh, after a bad fall. Then...
Well, let's just say that the pain went away
and then I started running again, and...
and then it just reappeared and it won't leave me alone.
From now on, two sessions a week.
Uh, I mean, it's kinda tough for me to find time to...
You need to take care of yourself.
All right.
Hmm.
So what do you think? Is it good or bad?
Neither.
So, what then?
The pain's here, but the problem could be elsewhere.
In the next exercise, each of you will write a story,
an autobiographical one.
You'll have to reach deep, connect with your inner self.
Tell me about a particularly important day in your lives.
One of those days that left a mark on you,
left a... a scar on you. Right?
Those are usually the days that make us understand who we really are
and what is the sound of our inner voice.
Did you read my story?
Yep. All in one go.
And?
And nothing.
You're talented. You're very talented,
but... but it's an imaginary world too far away from yourself.
Why don't you write something more simple?
Something more real?
You have a beautiful voice, it's just that you have to learn how to use it.
That's all.
Now concentrate on the autobiography.
Hmm.
You'll see. It'll help you understand what you really wanna say.
Sorry.
For what?
- Have you read this? - No.
Take it.
There's a lot of real life in this book.
It'll help you.
- Thanks. - Sure.
- Ciao. - Ciao.
I'm home!
Sweetie, is that you?
Uh, depends who's asking.
I didn't hear you come in.
Can you bring me a towel?
Oh shit.
- Carlo! - Yeah, yeah. I know. I know.
- It's broken. - Everything's broken.
But if you were a bit gentler with things, you'd see that...
...the door opens, and you can get out.
- You have magic hands. - Yeah. I do.
So how'd it go at physical therapy? Did he manage to fix you?
There was a new guy today, you know?
Daniele has tendinitis. Ironic. Right?
And how is he? How's the new guy?
Well, he's hot!
- Oh, he's hot? - Hmm.
Hotter than your client from this morning?
Actually, I would need just a few more details before I made my offer.
- Oh, really? - Mm-hmm.
So you want another appointment?
Maybe.
Who knows how much a house like that costs.
Hmm. A lot.
How much is it?
Uh, way too much for us.
- Really? - Hmm.
Yep.
But do you really like it that much?
Sweetie, I see ten houses a day.
This one is... It's special. It's got character.
What did you do today?
I graded lots of tests and assignments.
- Did you get to do any writing? - No.
Well, I'm waiting for your second novel.
I can't wait to read it.
- Did you order the pizza? - Yep. It'll be here in ten minutes.
- Get in the shower. - Okay.
ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN BY CARLO PENTECOSTE
IN THAT MOMENT, HE REALIZED THAT
- Who is it? - Me.
- "Me," who? - Your daughter.
Oh.
- Come on. - Hey!
- You there? - I'm here.
- How's it going? - Great. You?
I dreamed about Pannella.
Oh. So?
Every time I dream about him, something bad happens.
- Are you and Carlo okay? - Yeah, yeah. Nothing bad's happened to us.
Okay. That's better.
So, why don't you tell me. This one or this one?
Mom, come on. We're late.
You know how nervous Carlo gets when we visit his parents. We need to go.
- Come on! Tell me. This, or this? - I don't know. Gray. It's more elegant.
Gray, more elegant?
Okay. Let's go. Come on!
- Oh. The gift, the gift, the gift! - Oh. The gift.
The gift.
- Hi, Mom. - Hello.
Happy birthday.
Thank you.
Happy birthday, Loretta. You look great.
Aww. Thanks, honey. You are as beautiful as ever.
- Happy birthday. - Anna.
Thank you.
- This is for you. - Oh. Thanks.
Is it a scarf?
Yes. Do you like it?
Uh, yes. It's very interesting.
So you knit now?
Yes, maybe. It's a little eccentric for you,
but, well, come on, it's fun to be a little crazy sometimes. Right?
You're 60 after all.
Uh-huh. Yeah. Sure.
Great. Let's go inside.
Your father's already waiting at the table.
So, Margherita, how's the physiotherapy?
- It's not getting better, unfortunately. - Hmm.
Once it's fall, uh, it just gets really humid,
so the pain comes back.
Wait. It was Carlo's fault wasn't it?
My fault?
My fault it gets humid?
Actually, I got hurt when I followed him a few years ago.
But what's a little pain in comparison to a lifetime of happiness, you know?
You married him, after all.
Even though artists are a risky deal.
SOFIA TOMORROW?
Who is it?
Nothing. Just work.
CARLO SURE
Your writing course?
Yeah.
SOFIA USUAL PLACE?
And the sales. How are the sales going?
CARLO ALL RIGHT
Well, the market's in crisis, but we're pulling through.
I recently took on a beautiful house.
Hmm. Where?
In Concordia.
Oh. It's a great deal too.
Well, it could be an opportunity for you.
It's not that low. It's still too much for us.
We can help you, like we did with your sister.
It's time to grow up.
You can't live in a one-bedroom apartment all your life.
What matters is that you're happy there. Right?
Margherita, are you happy there?
It's not the right time to think about moving.
Uh, Carlo's working on a new novel.
The last one was four years ago.
Why not talk about something important?
Like, how many lives have you saved this week, Pop?
Anyway, I read what he's written so far, and...
and it's amazing.
It's the best thing Carlo's ever written.
What do you say we order something and then maybe watch a movie?
Yeah. Sounds good. But I'll cook.
- Thanks. - What for?
For saying those things about my novel.
I know you'll never let me read it until you're finished,
but I'm sure it's beautiful.
You just need the right push so you finish it.
Listen. Do you have class tomorrow?
'Cause I have some time between appointments...
Listen. About that couple
at the Concordia house.
- Have they made an offer yet? - No.
You think they will?
I don't know. You saw how they were all... Mmm.
What if we made an offer?
No. I don't want you to say yes to your dad just to make me happy.
We've always managed on our own.
Who said I was gonna ask my dad for money?
Well, how would you do it though?
With the book.
You need to finish writing it first.
It's like you said.
I just need a push, and maybe the push is this house.
Yeah. I know it's a gamble
and I'm probably gonna fuck it all up, but...
Just imagine us living there.
All that light. You could decorate it how you want.
No more broken showers.
Even if that couple doesn't make an offer, there will be others.
- A studio! A studio just for me. - There will be others.
A room for our kids to grow up in,
when we do decide to have kids.
You need to find out what's blocking you, Sofia.
Maybe you just need to find the right story to tell?
I don't know. Maybe you haven't figured out
the day that turned your life around yet.
Oh no!
So tell me, what was yours?
It was a day in late September, five years ago.
I was on my bike.
Didn't have a permanent job yet.
I was still working on my first novel, and I was feeling stuck.
And I had just recently met the woman who would become my future wife.
But I hadn't yet gotten married.
Everything was still possible.
- That's very nice. - Hmm.
Is yours nice too?
Look. If talking about this makes you uncomfortable,
I could just assign you a different task.
But you don't want that. You know what story you wanna tell.
You're just trying to find the courage to tell it. Isn't that right?
All right, then. I'll try.
Awesome.
But on one condition.
If you get to read mine, I can read yours.
No, no, no.
No. I never let people read my work. No one.
Make an exception for me.
Hmm. Mm-mm.
I have to write about something very personal.
I just wanna know if I'm able to trust you.
Okay.
I'll think about it.
You start though.
Mm-hmm.
I... I've changed my mind.
I'm going home and... and I'll look at it again later tonight.
So, I guess we're done. Right?
I suppose we are. You're dismissed.
Ciao.
Hey. Where are you headed?
I could drive you.
Sure.
Thanks.
Right over there.
Yeah. It's a bit crazy, but we wanna try it.
The house is so special, Mom. Really. You have to see it to believe it.
Okay. Sounds good.
Okay. I have to hang up.
Ciao.
- Hi, Eva! - Hey, Marghe.
Listen. How did the visit go on Friday at the house in Concordia?
There was another prospective buyer, right?
A certain Carlo something, huh?
Carlo Pentecoste, I believe.
Thanks for giving him the address.
I think he's really considering the apartment too.
- Good morning. - Morning!
Hello.
Please, have a seat.
- Thanks. - Thanks.
So, I suppose you wanna consider other offers.
It seemed that the last option didn't convince you.
Not at all.
We want it.
Oh. Great.
Yeah. We're already thinking about what work needs to be done.
We wanna knock down some, um... some walls.
The blueprint allows for it. Doesn't it?
Sorry, but why?
To have a bigger living room.
Of course. It's just that the living room is already 60 square meters.
And these things require special permission, and, uh...
Yeah. My cousin is a local surveyor. We'll get the permits.
Can we please just move on to the deal?
- Of course. - Thanks.
Oh. And, by the way, we're offering 20% below the asking price.
Well, that sounds a bit too low, I'm afraid.
Just between us, uh,
we're gonna buy it anyway,
even if the owner refuses a price adjustment.
Luckily, we're not short on cash.
Great.
Thanks so much for the ride.
It was nothing.
See you.
Yeah. I'll see you at school.
I enjoyed talking to you today.
That's good.
- Ciao. - Ciao.
Well, they're my latest purchase. I love them! They're awesome.
They're... they're gorgeous!
Look at that, huh?
Sisters?
Ah. Here he is.
- Hey, man. - Oh.
Oh. Sorry. I'm so sorry I'm late.
- You're right. You're right. - Darling.
I was just texting you. What happened?
Nothing. I... I had a private lesson
that went on a little bit longer than I planned.
I'm exhausted.
- You don't look exhausted. - You and your lessons.
Instead of getting other people to write, you should be writing yourself. I mean...
Okay. Whose brilliant idea was it to invite my editor?
- Yours. - Mine?
Shall we order, guys?
Let's have, um, the usual?
Well, Margherita, if you say it like that...
I said it because I like it so much!
- I know! - The wine is good. Okay?
I've been dreaming about it for years.
I even put up the postcard in the kitchen.
Good?
Malé Atoll, and, uh, now it'll come true.
- Hopefully. - Hopefully.
- Awesome. - Great! When are you going?
In two weeks, if he gets some time off.
- Yep. Yeah. - The Maldives?
Mm-hmm. There are sharks, thunderstorms, it's a terrible experience.
- No! Come on. - What do you know?
When have you been to the Maldives?
Oh. Which lover did you take?
They're companions, not lovers. Don't diminish them.
Actually, I don't... I don't remember.
When was I there?
Wait. Why are you looking at her?
- Oh my God. That's so... - I remember seeing you.
No, no, no! I... I never went to the Maldives with you.
- No. - What a shame.
In other news, we're moving.
So you guys found a house?
- Well... - Well... well...
It depends. It depends on the contract that I close with my editor.
So what you're saying is, there's a book finally?
You should start writing the check.
Should I expect to be reading something finished soon?
You need to get in line.
I'm sorry, but he got stuck halfway through the first novel.
Then we met, and he finished it in two weeks.
So, I most definitely earned the role of being his first reader.
- Have I not? - Ubi maior.
Well, my role is to put the pressure on.
Boy. Listen. I have no doubt you will.
Yeah, yeah.
- Let's make a toast. - Okay.
To new beaches, new houses,
and new books. Yeah? Yeah, yeah.
- Yeah, yeah. - Yeah.
And also to our beauty.
Cheers, guys.
- Cheers. - Cheers!
Listen, Concordia...
- I think we're gonna lose it. - Why?
The couple came to the agency. They wanna make an offer.
No!
- Oh. Man, that sucks. - Hmm.
I know.
You know what that means, don't you?
That we'll be renting for life.
Forever.
Just kidding!
It was a joke.
Oh. Come on!
We'll find another house.
It won't take long with your job.
So that's it?
What do you mean "that's it"?
I don't know.
Seems like it didn't bother you.
No! I mean, what's the matter?
I'm sorry. I really am. It sucks.
But if they already made an offer, what can we do?
I know, but I wanted it to be our forever home.
The place where we'd grow old together. You know?
Oh, baby.
We just have to be patient.
- Okay? - Mm.
PRINT
ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN
A LOVE STORY THAT IS STUCK HALFWAY
YOU ARE
UCM - UNIVERSITY FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS MILAN
Sofia?
Ciao.
I've never done this before.
- Thanks. - See you in class.
Today, I wanna see you working.
I wanna see you writing.
If you haven't already,
I want you to start, here and now, on your autobiographical stories.
I'll be at your complete disposal
if you need anything, if you have any questions.
And please remember, no judgment!
Your stories are safe here.
This classroom is a safe space.
Good luck.
NO JUDGMENT
You don't talk much, huh?
I don't wanna disturb my patients.
I listen to their bodies.
What's mine saying?
That you got worse.
There's a knot here that won't come out.
Put your hands like this,
like you're hugging yourself.
Turn towards me.
The source of the pain is here, on your back.
It's like you're carrying a weight.
A weight?
Relax your muscles. They're all tense.
I'm not very good at relaxing.
Try.
Trust me.
Wow.
Stay there and relax for a bit.
♪ Send your... ♪
Don't worry if you get a little dizzy.
I'm not dizzy.
♪ Dreams where nobody hides ♪
Actually...
♪ Give ♪
♪ Your ♪
FOR SALE
♪ Tears to the tide ♪
♪ No time ♪
♪ There's no ♪
♪ End, there is no goodbye ♪
♪ Disappear ♪
♪ With the night ♪
♪ No time ♪
Uh, hello. Good evening.
This is Margherita Verna about the apartment in Corso Concordia.
I'm calling because the owner has responded.
She decided she's no longer selling.
♪ No time ♪
Yes. Look. If you'd like, we can meet at the agency to see what else is available.
♪ No time ♪
Hey.
♪ No time ♪
Sofia? So...
Hey, hey. Is everything okay? Huh?
Help me. Please.
- It'll pass. Okay? - I can't breathe.
Hey, hey. It's okay.
Breathe with me.
That's it.
That's it. Yeah.
That's it.
There we go.
Better now?
- Okay. Bye. - Ciao.
"ALL LITERATURE IS AN ASSAULT ON THE FRONTIER." * FRANZ KAFKA
LOOSELY BASED ON "FIDELITY" BY MARCO MISSIROLI