(Above: Ginevra Francesconi as Simone & Ruben Mulet Porena as Liverani)
Parents vs Influencers (2021 - Italy)
Running Time: 95 minutes
(Subtitled)
(Parents vs Influencers will feature on the programme of the European Film Festival which runs from October 14 to 24, 2021.)
Beautifully-made film with equal doses of comedy, drama and pathos, with the battle against social media taking some wonderfully unexpected twists and turns. (Review by Barry Meehan)
All great films feature a recognisable protagonist and antagonist (or antagonists, sometimes by the dozen), with the protagonist battling to win against all odds during the course of the plot, no matter what genre the movie might be. Think Terminator, the Die Hard series – in fact, any thriller or action movie.
Parents vs Influencers isn’t one of the above genres, but still features the protagonist/antagonist scenario. In this case, the protagonist is Paolo (Fabio Volo), a gentle widower and Philosophy teacher, trying his hardest to bring up a somewhat headstrong daughter on his own, while the antagonist is – believe it or not – social media.
The concept of “Influencers” is a relatively new one, and has only sprung into prominence since the worldwide social media phenomenon. The definition of an Influencer (according to Wikipedia) is “someone (or something) with the power to affect the buying habits or quantifiable actions of others by uploading some form of original - often sponsored - content to social media platforms.” Top influencers boast millions of followers, which is their attraction as far as sponsors and brands are concerned. Lavish gifts, trips and payments are heaped on these influencers, luring young girls into wanting to live the influencer lifestyle.
Paolo’s daughter, Simone (played by Ginevra Francesconi and three others as the younger versions of Simone), would dearly love to become the next sought-after influencer, basing her style on the lovely and very successful Eleonora. Unfortunately, Paolo has some very definite ideas on the way his daughter should be brought up, and her direction in life. He wages war at home and at his school against the use of smartphones and the way teenagers are totally addicted to them.
Parents vs Influencers, written by Fabio Bonifacci and directed by Michela Andreozzi is a beautifully-made film with equal doses of comedy, drama and pathos, with the battle against social media taking some wonderfully unexpected twists and turns. The cast are all accomplished actors and are utterly believable, playing a diversity of characters with aplomb. Special mention must be made of Fabio Volo (Paolo) who handles his tricky role with ease. His desire to do the right thing in a world which is changing around him is a huge challenge, especially when things turn and all manner of unexpected mishaps carry him along on a journey not of his making.
Special mention, too, for the two leading ladies in the cast – Ginevra Francesconi (Simone) and Giulia De Lellis (Eleonora) who both carry off their roles with an innate professionalism rarely seen in actresses their age.
One thing to note – the subtitles are amongst the best I have seen in a foreign language film – all very legible, unlike several I have seen.
Altogether, Parents vs Influencers is a heart-warming tale of family and communication, exceptionally well made, and – in my humble opinion – well worth seeing! – Barry Meehan
Parents vs Influencers can be seen free of charge from October 14 to 24, 2021,
on the European Film Festival’s website. For more information visit https://www.eurofilmfest.co.za/
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