A Special Day

On 4 May 1938, Rome hosts a parade as Hitler visits Mussolini. Antonietta is at home, her husband Emanuele and their six children go out to join the spectacle. The building is mostly empty except for the caretaker Pauletta and the neighbor Gabriele, a radio broadcaster. The political climate and the parade loom over the ordinary domestic life.

With the parade underway, Antonietta stays behind to handle domestic tasks as her family heads out. She senses the hollow rhythm of a day saturated by fascist pageantry and the absence of her lively brood. The quiet interior contrasts with the public display outside.

The family's pet myna escapes from the apartment and flits toward Gabriele's window. The moment sets off a chance meeting between Antonietta and the neighbor. The escape also foreshadows the fragile order of the day and who might enter each other's lives.

Gabriele has been interrupted from attempting suicide, and in the moment of the bird rescue he is offered food by Antonietta and appears amused. He helps rescue the myna, and their encounter begins to thaw his guarded demeanor. The act marks the start of a tense but charged engagement between them.

Unaware of Gabriele's sexual orientation, Antonietta flirts with him and dances a rumba. The moment reveals how their initial judgments are softened as they begin to see each other beyond appearances. Their growing attraction stands in contrast to the day's fascist climate.

Pauletta warns Antonietta that Gabriele is an anti-fascist, which shocks Antonietta and makes her question him. The warning introduces political risk into their budding connection. Despite this, the two continue to engage and talk openly.

Gabriele explains that he was fired for being homosexual, and Antonietta confides her own discontent with her arrogant and unfaithful husband. The exchange deepens their understanding of how societal pressures shape their lives. Their honesty cements a shared sense of oppression they both face.

As they talk, they realize that both are oppressed by social conditioning and misconception. They begin to see each other in a new light, moving beyond the initial judgments they formed. The emotional bond strengthens as they accept their vulnerabilities.

Overcoming their differences, they engage in a sexual encounter. Both acknowledge that it changes nothing, but the moment leaves an indelible mark on their relationship. The act is framed as a defiance of social norms and personal longing.

Soon after their intimate encounter, Antonietta's family returns home, and Gabriele is arrested by fascist police. The disruption underscores the risk of rebellion in a repressive regime. Antonietta is left to cope with the consequences of their clandestine liaison.

Later, Antonietta sits by the window and begins reading a book Gabriele gave her, The Three Musketeers. The act signals a budding, complicated memory of Gabriele and the day's events. Her quiet contemplation contrasts with the day's turbulent events.

Gabriele is escorted away by fascist policemen as he leaves the complex. Antonietta watches from the window, feeling a mix of longing and fear. Meanwhile, her husband waits in bed for their seventh child, whom he wants to name Adolfo.