Italian Studies (2022) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The exact cause of Alina's memory loss is never explicitly explained in the film. She enters the hardware store normally, ties her dog outside, and upon exiting, is suddenly struck by a wave of disorientation that erases all her memories. The film presents this as a sudden psychological break rather than detailing a medical or traumatic trigger, leaving the cause ambiguous.

• memory loss
• amnesia
• hardware store
• disorientation

The young girl appears to be one of the teenagers Alina had previously interviewed for her book. In the opening scene, Alina struggles to remember their connection, and later in the film, the same girl (now older) recommends Alina reach out to Simon, suggesting she was part of the group of youths Alina documented in her writing.

Foreshadowing: The girl reappears at the end, now a college student, connecting her early appearance to the final scenes.

• young girl
• cigarette
• teenager
• interviews

The book is described as a collection of coming-of-age stories based on interviews Alina conducted with teenagers. The chapter titled Lucinda reveals that she interviewed a younger version of herself through these teens, exploring their first loves, struggles, and transitions to adulthood.

Foreshadowing: The book's content about youth and memory directly connects to Alina's own fragmented identity.

• italian studies
• book
• coming-of-age
• interviews
• teens

Alina experiences complete anterograde amnesia following her episode at the hardware store, unable to recall her name, identity, or any details about her life. While the film doesn't provide a specific medical explanation, it frames her memory loss as a psychological crisis that leaves her disconnected from her own past, forcing her to rebuild her sense of self through external clues.

• memory loss
• amnesia
• identity
• forgetfulness

Room 234 is referenced in Alina's own book, which she discovers while reading in the library. When she finds the mention, it sparks a moment of recognition, suggesting the room was significant in her past, possibly a location from her interviews or a personal memory. The reference helps reconnect her to fragments of her identity.

Foreshadowing: The hotel earlier in the story rejected her attempt to retrieve a key for room 234, creating dramatic irony before the revelation.

• room 234
• hotel
• book
• memory

Simon is one of the teenagers Alina interviewed for her book Italian Studies years before the film's events. At the diner, the present-day Alina meets him as a disoriented stranger, but as her memories return, she recalls his story of first love and their deeper conversations. Their connection represents her past ability to bridge generational gaps and document youth experiences.

Foreshadowing: Simon appears throughout her memories and the narrative, revealing the depth of their original relationship.

• simon
• teenager
• interviews
• first love

At the party, Alina admits to Simon that they are both "broken," acknowledging their shared emotional struggles. The kiss represents a moment of vulnerability and mutual understanding between them, though it remains fleeting as Simon leaves shortly after. It reflects Alina's attempt to connect authentically in the present, contrasting with her fragmented memories of their past interactions.

• kiss
• party
• vulnerability
• connection

Alina decides not to contact Simon because she fears that doing so would taint her nostalgic memories of him. She believes their past connection exists in a fragile, idealized form that re-engagement might damage. This choice reflects her broader struggle with memory and identity, she preserves the beauty of recollection over the risk of reality.

• simon
• nostalgia
• fear
• memories
• closure

Reading Italian Studies triggers fragments of Alina's memories because the book contains interviews she conducted with teenagers, including younger versions of herself through them. As she reads the chapter Lucinda, she begins to recall her past interactions, research, and connections with the teens, using the content of her own work as a key to unlock her identity.

• book
• memory recovery
• reading
• italian studies
• lucinda

While Alina is talking with Lucinda at the beach, she suddenly realizes her little white dog is missing. Panic sets in, and she rushes back to the city, retracing her steps to the hardware store where she originally lost her memory. The dog's disappearance triggers her return to the present and motivates her journey home.

• dog
• beach
• missing
• panic

Alina's husband appears in the opening party scene and at the end when they journey home together. Though not named or prominently featured in the disoriented present-day sequences, he represents her stable life and adult identity. At the end, they reflect together on the key interviewees from her past explorations, suggesting a supportive relationship despite her psychological struggles.

• husband
• partner
• home
• marriage

Alina steals items from a shop out of desperation. With no memory of her identity, no money, and no way to access her belongings, she resorts to theft to survive. This act highlights the depths of her disorientation and the precariousness of her situation as she navigates the city without any sense of self.

• theft
• desperation
• survival
• shop