Boris: The Film

René Ferretti, disillusioned by the poor quality of the TV drama Il giovane Ratzinger, abandons the production after yet another network-imposed demand. He withdraws from the industry and slips into a deep depression. Months pass, and his friend Sergio, recovering from a heart attack, acquires the rights to the political bestseller La casta, and together they glimpse a chance to break into serious cinema with a socially engaged film.

Initially, the network executive Lopez seems supportive and even greenlights the project. Yet early compromises push René away from the investigative core, steering him toward a more metaphorical narrative. Despite this tension, the collaboration attracts top-tier talent, including Marilita Loy. René parts ways with his old TV crew, retaining only Alessandro and Arianna Dell’Arti.

Production soon spirals downhill: the set grows hostile, and René is dismissed by industry professionals as a second-rate director, only to be forced to rehire his former team. Amid a string of setbacks—Stanis La Rochelle’s disruptive presence and Marilita Loy’s instability—René fights to keep the project alive. Things briefly brighten with the casting of rising star Francesco Campo, but Campo’s sudden death from a heroin overdose halts filming.

René and Sergio eventually learn that Lopez never had official network approval. Sergio suffers another heart attack as the pressure mounts. Under duress, the network persuades them to repackage the footage as a Christmas comedy: Natale con la casta. René capitulates, transforming his art film into this crude, commercially successful holiday offering. Yet the success feels hollow, and he grows increasingly repulsed by the final product. Disillusioned with the film industry, he returns to television and resumes filming Il giovane Ratzinger, now resigned to its mediocrity.

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:57