The thought of Carla Lonzi, comes to the cinema the docu of Francesca Archibugi

Francesca Archibugi’s documentary, Carla Lonzi - Inside and Outside the World, premieres in Italian cinemas on October 26, 27, and 28. The film was previously shown at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival during the Giornate degli Autori special events section. Archibugi, who knew Lonzi personally, directs this portrait of the critic’s political, social, and artistic thought. The narrative centers on a scene where Archibugi walks with actor Nanni Moretti through Rome’s Villa Pamphili. They discuss how the 1968 movement misinterpreted feminism because it undermined its core principles. This interaction mirrors Lonzi’s life and work, which bridged private experience and public engagement. The film features interviews with individuals who studied or knew Lonzi. These include her son, musician and composer Battista Lena, who composed the score for the documentary. Other speakers include Giulia Siviero, Suzanne Santoro, and philosopher Maria Luisa Boccia. Lena’s account serves as a guiding thread throughout the piece. Archibugi incorporates unseen archival footage, photographs, and audio recordings of Lonzi’s voice. Visual materials show Lonzi smiling despite severe facial disfigurement resulting from surgery in Zurich. She died on August 2, 1982, at age 51, after battling a cancerous tumor on her face. Lonzi viewed feminism not as a theoretical construct but as a vital necessity arising when women refuse to identify with an excluding world. Her communication with society occurred through art, her romantic relationship with Pietro Consagra, and her complex friendship with Carla Accardi. Together with Elvira Banotti, Lonzi and Accardi founded the group Rivolta Femminile in 1970. The documentary explores themes such as the body, nature, myth, and memory within the context of revolutionary experiences in the 1960s and 1970s. It also touches upon Lonzi’s early emotional trauma involving a former partner who favored her younger sister, an experience that shaped her reflections on love, identity, and the female body. Publisher La Nave di Teseo is currently reprinting Lonzi’s works. Titles available include Spitting on Hegel and Other Writings, which contains the Rivolta Femminile manifesto. Other reissued texts are Silence, Actually Speak. Diary of a Feminist, Go Ahead, and Self-Portrait. The production is a collaboration between Fandango and Rai Cinema. Partners include Luce Cinecittà and the Ministry of Culture’s General Directorate for Cinema and Audiovisual Media. The project received funding from the Ministry of Culture fund for investment development in cinema and audiovisual sectors. Fandango Distribution will handle theatrical release. Battista Lena, Archibugi’s husband, described his mother as someone who loved him constantly, even during periods of escape.