Il Piantone

An electoral campaign is underway in an imaginary country. Two leaders fight over the voters, who cry in exasperation. The first leader is fat and whiny, the second smiling and aloof. A man with a laptop computer and a teenager with a stony face and muscular body look on as the political battle unfolds. An aggressive woman removes herself from the melancholy scene. After the victory of democratic optimism, the two observers kill the leader, who dies with a smile on his lips. Civil war breaks out.

Directed by Antonio Rezza, Flavia Mastrella, Il Piantone leans on a strong ensemble — Antonio Rezza, Geraldine Vitullo, Chiara Cavalli — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1994.