About the Film

Two very different families are spending their summer vacation in the same gorgeous villa on the southern coast of Italy. The Petagnas are brash, working class folks, while the Castelvecchios are pretentious and wealthy. Little do they know, despite the title of the film, that this is no ordinary vacation. They have been brought together by an unlikely romance! Toni and Carlo, the two grandfathers of the families, are getting married, and the wedding is in three weeks! The pair’s adult children are not exactly onboard with the challenges of a blended family. Plans are hatched, and unlikely alliances formed in this upbeat, heartwarming romantic comedy.

The grooms-to-be, played by a smoldering Alessandro Gassman and silver fox Fabrizio Bentivoglio, have a genuine chemistry, and it is refreshing to see a tale of love between people over sixty. Also refreshing is a flip of the homophobia script. It is the children here who need to adjust to their parents’ identities and new loves. As Peter L. Stein put it, “It’s La cage aux folles meets Mamma Mia! in this light-hearted and surprisingly touching Mediterranean charmer.”

Although the majority of Italians support marriage equality, same-sex marriages are still not recognized, and same-sex couples are left with the option of civil unions.

Director: Simone Godano