118 minutes
U.S. Premiere
The hysterically funny story of a man who had the courage to say “NO”. For 20 years in a row.
This film is recommended for audiences of all ages.
ABOUT THE FILM
Based on a true story. In an untouched, beautiful, stretch of coastline in southern Sardinia, Efisio Mulas (Giuseppe Ignazio Loi) is a solitary shepherd, a silent guardian of a time that seems to no longer exist. He has always lived in the small house where he was born. On the other side of the country, in Milan, is Giacomo (Diego Abatantuono), president of a powerful real estate empire. He is determined to transform that pristine coast into a luxury resort. Alongside him is Mariano (Aldo Baglio), his pragmatic construction manager, entrusted with convincing Efisio, an amazing cash offer after another, to give up that last piece of land standing in their way. Francesca (Virginia Raffaele), Efisio’s daughter, moves between these irreconcilable worlds, caught between the promise of change and the pull of her roots.
When Efisio refuses yet another million-dollar offer, pressure mounts and the community splits, getting closer and closer to a disastrous breaking point, between those who dream of new job opportunities and blame Efisio for making sure that they will live in misery forever, and those who fear losing their identity forever and find in Efisio their unorthodox spiritual leader.
Casting three of the best Italian comedians working today ( Diego Abatantuono, Virginia Raffaele and Aldo Baglio) and a large ensemble of local non-professional actors, Milani delivers another comedy that is bound to become a new favorite of our audience at large and stay/linger with many for a long time.
DIRECTOR’S BIO:
Riccardo Milani is an Italian screenwriter and film and television director behind some of the most successful films and tv series of the past two decades. He began his career in 1985 as assistant director to Mario Monicelli, later working alongside Nanni Moretti, Florestano Vancini, and Daniele Luchetti. In 1994, he made his feature debut with the comedy-drama “Auguri Professore”, followed in 2001 by his first television project, the miniseries “Il Sequestro Soffiantini”, and then by the innovative, cult TV series “Tutti pazzi per amore”.
IFF has previously showcased several of his major Italian box-office hits, making him, one movie after another, a favorite of our audience: “Come un gatto in Tangenziale” in 2020, “Corro da te” in 2023, and “Grazie Ragazzi” in 2024.
This year, we are particularly delighted and proud to have secured for the first time in IFF’s 17 editions the U.S. Premiere of his most recent film, “La vita va così”, which was the Opening Movie of the Festa del Cinema di Roma in October 2025 and opened in cinemas to the usual popular acclaim in December 2025.
Relased 2025
Directed by Riccardo Milani