U.S. Premiere

Based on recent crime news that had the entire nation tuned in, “La Gioia” is a haunting exploration of desire, morality, and the fragile human need for connection which confirms Nicolangelo Gelormini as an exciting, new director with a distinct visual style and a talent for moody atmospheres

ABOUT THE FILM

Gioia (Valeria Golino) is a high school teacher who has never known love beyond the oppressive care of her parents. Her quiet, monotonous life is unexpectedly disrupted by Alessio (Saul Nanni), a student navigating his own struggles in a harsh world. Between them, a fragile and forbidden bond emerges, one that for Gioia is at once necessary, confusing, and transformative.

“La Gioia”, is a psychologically charged, striking meditation on desire, morality, and the human yearning for connection. It portrays the precarious balance between hope and destruction in a world that often leaves innocence vulnerable. Only at his second feature, Nicolangelo Gelormini proves to be a director with an exciting, distinctive style, and one of the most interesting new names in Italian cinema.

DIRECTOR'S BIO:

Nicolangelo Gelormini is an Italian director, screenwriter, and editor. After graduating in Architecture, he trained at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome. In 2010, he participated in the ensemble film Napoli 24, directing the segment “My Madre”, which was presented at the 28th Turin Film Festival. In 2020, he wrote, directed, and edited his first feature film, “Fortuna”, starring Valeria Golino, Pina Turco, Cristina Magnotti, and Libero De Rienzo. The film was presented in the Official Selection of the Rome Film Fest. In 2023, Gelormini returned to the Rome Film Fest with the documentary “Lucio Amelio”, a film about the historic Neapolitan art dealer that earned him the 2024 Premio Speciale Cultura of the Nastri d’Argento. He also directed an episode of Valeria Golino’s acclaimed TV series “L’arte della gioia” (The Art of Joy), adapted from Goliarda Sapienza’s novel and starring Tecla Insolia, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Jasmine Trinca, and Guido Caprino, presented at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024.