Giovanna

1955 0h 36m IT

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 2

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

This short is set in the early 1950s in a small textile factory in central Italy (Prato). Giovanna and her fellow female workers decide to enact a protest against the direction of the factory's dismissal plan, by occupying the factory and continuing to work until the proprietor cancels the dismissals. None of these women can really afford to lose their jobs, as it is the only income in the family. All workers receive moral and material support from their families, apart from Giovanna, who bravely endures her husband's disapproval. Almost all the women hold out for thirty-five days in spite of the proprietor's attempts to break their resistance. At first he blocks the road to the factory, then he cuts off electric power to increase their isolation; finally, he tries to convince them to accept the dismissal of at least a smaller number of them. But the women overcome these obstacles, determined to resist...

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Armida Gianassi
Giovanna
Carla Pozzi

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Gillo Pontecorvo
Writers: Gillo Pontecorvo, Franco Solinas
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 36-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

71 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

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 Gillo Pontecorvo, shot by Erico Menczer. 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 Mario Zafred. 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 Enzo Alfonsi 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

Armida Gianassi and Carla Pozzi carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0177805 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Gillo Pontecorvo directs. Erico Menczer behind the camera. Mario Zafred scores. Enzo Alfonsi cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Italy. Dialogue in Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 36-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
271 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Gillo Pontecorvo, shot by Erico Menczer. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Mario Zafred. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Enzo Alfonsi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Armida Gianassi and Carla Pozzi carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0177805 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 2 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.