Follow Your Heart

1996 1h 50m IT

😐

6.1

MID

★6.1TMDB · 38

DramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The complicated travails of several generations of Italian women provide the basis for this drama that is based on a novel by Susanna Tamaro. It begins with the peaceful death of Olga, the elderly family matriarch. Marta, her granddaughter returns from the US to attend the funeral and once in Olga's villa in Trieste, begins reading her grandmother's diary. Olga's story unfolds via flashback. As a young woman, Oldga had to marry Antonio a man she didn't love. Later she became passionately involved with a handsome doctor at the local spa. He impregnates her and shortly thereafter dies in a terrible car wreck. The result of their love is Illaria, who grows up to be terribly neurotic. She bears Marta and then she too dies in an automobile accident, leaving Marta to be raised by Olga.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Virna Lisi
Olga
Margherita Buy
Olga da giovane
Galatea Ranzi
Ilaria
Massimo Ghini
Augusto
Tchéky Karyo
Ernesto
Valentina Chico
Marta
Lavinia Guglielman
Marta da bambina
Valeria Sabel
Elsa Razman

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Cristina Comencini
Writers: Roberta Mazzoni, Cristina Comencini
Languages: Italian
Countries: France, Germany, 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

ERA

Did you know

30 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: France, Germany, Italy.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Cristina Comencini, shot by Roberto Forza. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Virna Lisi and Margherita Buy and Galatea Ranzi carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0118105 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Cristina Comencini directs. Roberto Forza behind the camera. Claudio Capponi scores. Nino Baragli cuts. Produced in France, Germany, Italy. Dialogue in Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

130 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2International production across 3 countries: France, Germany, Italy.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Cristina Comencini, shot by Roberto Forza. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Claudio Capponi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Nino Baragli shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Virna Lisi and Margherita Buy and Galatea Ranzi carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0118105 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 38 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.