Cicciolina – the adult film actress turned legislator in the Italian parliament. Where did she come from? What was her appeal? Were there other women like her? That is the story of “Diva Futura.”
Riccardo Schicchi (Pietro Castellitto – “The Predators”) grew up in an Italian family where the beauty of the female form was celebrated – not censored. At an early age, he became fascinated with “men’s magazines” in a country with little tolerance for sexual freedom. Despite that, Riccardo went on to establish an “empire” based on free love, erotic pictures and films, and eventually clubs featuring striptease and pole dancers – this was “Diva Futura.”
Debora Attanasio, longtime secretary to Schicchi, eventually wrote a book about her experience at Diva Futura, “Don’t Tell Mom I’m a Secretary,” upon which this film is based. Writer/director Giulia Louise Steigerwalt (“September”) has created a sometimes whimsical, sometimes tragic tale exploring Schicchi and the women who worked with him.
While the idea of free love and using the body as a mode of expression seems harmless enough, the realities of what this does to a person’s standing in society, the opportunities for abuse that develop, and the brutality of hard core pornography are always present and are included here.
Several of the Divas are portrayed in the film:
– Ilona Staller (Cicciolina) (played by Lidjida Kordic – “Son’s Will”), who in addition to performing in Diva Futura’s higher class pornographic films, was elected to one term in the Italian parliament and then started several political parties centered on her belief in free love.
– Moana Pozzi (Denise Capezza – “Crimes of the Future”), who like Chicciolina sought a role in politics as mayor of Rome (unsuccessfully) based on her popularity in exotic performance. Her life ended tragically due to liver cancer.
– Eva Henger (Tesa Litvan – “September), one of the actresses who married Schicchi was forced into hard-core pornography due to her husband’s financial ineptitude, but cared for him as his health failed due to diabetes, while also have children by another man during their marriage.
Steigerwalt gets fine performances from all her leads, especially from Castellitto as the childlike entrepreneur whose idealized concept of women and sex thrust him into the forefront of the sexual liberation movement in Italy. Another excellent performance is turned in by Litvan as his long suffering wife. An excellent jazz score, alternately smooth or energetic, but never intrusive, provides the background.
This film will not appeal to many, as it features extensive nudity and multiple simulated sex acts. However, that is not the message of the film. Instead it is the exploration of several people involved in the ‘80s and ‘90s Italian sexual revolution, with their successes and their failures. In addition, the episodic structure tends to isolate the characters, creating a disjointed rather than smoothly flowing narrative.
The film is in Italian, with English subtitles.
Runtime: Two hours, four minutes
Availability: Limited theaters, for rent on Apple TV and Prime, free on Roku
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