Italy 2003; 90 min.

David is a physics student, studying at the Scuola Normale in Pisa. In his last year at university, he is distracted by his attraction to Viola, who he has been pining for ever since he arrived in the city. This romantic pursuit leads him to become part of her social milieu of students who are, one way or another, political activists campaigning on a variety of anti-capitalist issues. What moves Now or Never beyond being a very enjoyable, light hearted coming-of-age romantic drama is when the story moves to follow David and his friends to Genoa, where they participate in, and are brutalised by, their experiences in the anti-capitalist riots during the G8 summit of 2001. As a result, Now or Never takes on much greater depth and significance as the first fictional film to render faithfully the aspirations and terrible realities of a generation of young people whose lives change forever over the course of a weekend. This is not to say that Now or Never is a depressing tract, rather it is a well-balanced, extremely thoughtful film that captures the hope and anger of youth in an engaging and believable way.
(Source: London Film Festival)

Directed by:

Lucio Pellegrini

Cast:

Jacopo Bonvicini, Violante Placido, Edoardo Gabbriellini, Elio Germano, Camilla Filippi, Riccardo Scamarcio, Andrea Samà

Screenplay:

Angelo Carbone, Roan Johnson, Lucio Pellegrini

Cinematography:

Gherardo Gossi

Editing:

Walter Fasano

Set design:

Eugenia F. Di Napoli

Costume design:

Francesca Vecchi, Roberta Vecchi

Music:

Giuliano Taviani

Presented by:

Domenico Procacci

Producer:

Domenico Procacci

Production:

Fandango, RAI Cinema

Distributor:

01 Distribution

Foreign sales:

Intramovies

• Annecy Cinéma Italien 2003: Panorama
• Festival du Film Italien de Villerupt 2003: In Competition
• Locarno International Film Festival 2003: In Competition
• London Film Festival 2003: Cinema Europa

• Official site
• Intramovies
• Cinecittà - TamTamCinema (with Trailer and Making-of)
• New York Times
• London Film Festival

About the Director:

Born in Asti in 1965. He studied Philosophy at the University of Turin, where he started to nurture his passion for cinema in video libraries. Between 1992 and 1998 he works in television, collaborating with MTV, RAI and Mediaset, where he distinguished himself as author of shows such as Target and Ciro. His film debut is E allora mambo! in 1999. In 2000 he directs another successful comedy, Tandem. He realised the video clip Io ci sarò for Piero Pelù and the short movie Biodegradabile for Legambiente and Telepiù.
(Source: Banca Dati del Cinema Mondiale, Rivista del Cinematografo)