Sergio Wakes from a Coma to a Blended Family
Actor Marco Bonini makes his feature directorial debut with Se ami qualcuno dillo, which centers on a man who suffers a heart attack and awakens from a subsequent coma with a need to relearn everything, according to Sentieri selvaggi. The film adapts Bonini’s 2019 Longanesi novel of the same name, which won the Elsa Morante Prize, according to SOURCE 3. Sergio, portrayed by Edoardo Leo, is an emotionally detached man accustomed to distant relationships until his medical emergency forces a restart. When he wakes up, his current partner Gabriella (Claudia Gerini), his ex-wife Alba (Giovanna Mezzogiorno), and his son Giulio (Biagio Venditti) find him acting like a child in an adult’s body, according to coverage from RomaToday. The narrative tracks how this sudden personality shift alters the dynamics of Sergio’s complicated blended family.
RomaToday Interviews the Director on Personal Inspiration
Bonini drew directly from his own family history to shape the project, telling RomaToday that his own father experienced a similar medical crisis years ago. The director explained that the resulting period of recovery provided a potent metaphor about modern masculinity that he wanted to explore on film.
“When this thing happened, I understood that the metaphor my father was giving me was powerful and revolutionary,” Bonini told RomaToday. The director added that he wanted to push past the standard narrative that asks men to take a step back, opting instead to advocate for a more equal and relational approach to men's emotions.
From the 2019 Novel to the Roman Screen
The production utilizes distinct Roman locations steeped in cinematic history, including the Mandrione neighborhood, Casalbertone, and the Fiumicino lighthouse, as detailed by RomaToday. Bonini noted that he deliberately chose these spaces to anchor the story in a tradition associated with classic Italian comedy and the work of filmmakers like Ettore Scola and Pier Paolo Pasolini.
The project reunites Bonini with Edoardo Leo, who previously collaborated on the screenplay for the award-winning Us and Giulia. SOURCE 3 notes that Bonini’s extensive career spans philosophy studies at university, acting roles in the I stop when I want trilogy, and theatrical adaptations of Perfect strangers, alongside various essay publications.
Examines Themes of Redemption and Performance Technique
A review published by Wild Trails points out that while the premise explores themes of redemption and rebirth, Leo’s performance occasionally relies too heavily on Actors Studio-style technique rather than grounded emotional truth.