Rosa e Cornelia (Rosa and Cornelia)

An intense drama by Giorgio Treves that tells the story of a young Countess, Cornelia that becomes pregnant and is send to the family country state as a prisoner; the family has to hide at all costs her illegitimate pregnancy so she can marry into wealth and the family recuperates their fortune.

When at the country state the family sends a maid, Rosa, that’s also pregnant, to be her companion and while coming from two extreme different worlds the two woman become friends and develop a bond that will be true until the very end of the movie in the most tragic and unexpected way. All this happens in 18th century Venice, but it can be so true even nowadays.

Chiara Muti plays Cornelia as a very spoil young woman and does quite credible, but is Stefania Rocca that plays Rosa who definitively steals the movie with a good performance. Also worth mentioning is Athina Cenci that plays Piera the housekeeper.

The movie had two nominations in 2001 Italian awards and film festivals. This movie is not for all audiences as looks and feels like a play (is based on the play L’Attesa –The Waiting- by Remo Binosi) consequently most of the drama happens inside the castle. But if you want to see a movie with strong female cast, I recommend you give it a try.