Mid-August Lunch

2008 1h 15m IT

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 147

Comedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Broke, and armed only with his sense of humor, middle-aged Gianni lives with his mother in their old apartment. The debts are mounting, but if Gianni looks after the building manager's mother during the Ferragosto, a mid-August holiday, all will be forgiven.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Gianni Di Gregorio
Gianni
Valeria De Franciscis
Valeria (Gianni's Mother)
Maria Calì
Tia Maria (Alfonso's Aunt)
Grazia Cesarini Sforza
Grazia (Marcello's Mother)
Marina Cacciotti
Maria (Alfonso's Mother)
Luigi Marchetti
Vikingo
Alfonso Santagata
Alfonso
Marcello Ottolenghi
Marcello (Doctor)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Gianni Di Gregorio
Writers: Gianni Di Gregorio, Simone Riccardini, Gianni Di Gregorio
Languages: Italian
Countries: Italy

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 75-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $0.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Grossed $10M — a 19.0× return. The kind of profit studios chase for a decade.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 18 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Gianni Di Gregorio, shot by Gian Enrico Bianchi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Stefano Ratchev. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Marco Spoletini shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Gianni Di Gregorio and Valeria De Franciscis and Maria Calì carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Gianni Di Gregorio directs. Gian Enrico Bianchi behind the camera. Stefano Ratchev scores. Marco Spoletini cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in Italy. Dialogue in Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 75-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Shot for just $0.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
3Grossed $10M — a 19.0× return. The kind of profit studios chase for a decade.
4Released 18 years ago.
5Directed by Gianni Di Gregorio, shot by Gian Enrico Bianchi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Stefano Ratchev. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Marco Spoletini shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Gianni Di Gregorio and Valeria De Franciscis and Maria Calì carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt1277728 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Released under 17 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Gian Enrico Bianchi
Original score: Stefano Ratchev
Editing: Marco Spoletini
Production design: Susanna Cascella
Costume design: Silvia Polidori
Runtime: 75 min · 1h 15m
Status: Released
Budget: $500,000
Box office: $9,524,517
Return: 1905% of budget
Original language: IT
Certification (US): U
IMDB: Mid-August Lunch (2008)

Also by

Gianni Di Gregorio

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

FerdinandoLM2026-06-30
★ 8/10
Mid August Lunch divides with its minimalist approach. While some viewers would dismiss the narrative as forgettable and pointless, arguing it lacks real emotional weight, others celebrate its undeniable charm. The movie avoids a caustic perspective on aging, choosing instead to present a gentle, leisurely look at a man managing a lively group of older women. It succeeds as a saddening slice of Italian life. A very modest production, yet truly engaging.

Production companies