Do You See Me

Opening in Melbourne from September 16, the beloved Italian Film Festival is now in its 16th year. In 2015, the festival brings a bumper edition to Melbourne with 32 Italian films set to screen over the coming weeks.

Riccardo Milani’s Do You See Me is one of the delightful comedies on offer during the festival, with several screenings to take place at the Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Balwyn and Kino Cinemas.

Do You See Me is a quirky comedy that tells the story of Serena Bruno (Paola Cortellesi), a high achiever from Italy who has spent many years travelling the world and working in respected professional roles as an architect. After deciding it’s time to move home to Italy, Serena finds herself working as a waitress and living in a tiny room in Rome with poor job prospects on the horizon.

After several months on a downward spiral, Serena jumps at the opportunity to take on a new architectural project for an old building she has come to know and love. In an unlikely turn of events, Serena uses a case of mistaken identity to her advantage and finds herself in the middle of a scheme only made possible with the help of her sexy new companion Francesco (Raoul Bova).

Do You See Me features a likeable cast of colourful characters that keep the laughs coming the whole way through. Paola Cortellesi shines as the strong female lead, carrying an important message about how intelligent, high achieving women are often still belittled or dismissed when it comes to professional roles in the workplace and that it is time to stand up and change this.

While the sometimes kitschy scenes emphasised by a slightly out of place soundtrack of American pop ballads may seem slightly discouraging, Do You See Me is a light-hearted film that is fun and easy to watch (especially the parts when Raoul Bova takes his shirt off) and is definitely worth a look at this year’s Italian Film Festival.

Do You See Me
Wednesday September 16 – Sunday October 11
italianfilmfestival.com.au/films/do-you-see-me