Nuovo Olimpo

Pietro is a shy medical student who hesitates to reveal his sexuality. His encounter with Enea becomes a turning point, imprinting a lasting memory that haunts him across the years. He grows into an ophthalmologist and marries Giulia, yet the connection with Enea remains a private lodestar that ultimately guides his choices. His restrained, thoughtful nature masks a willingness to risk everything for love and truth when faced with memory’s pull.

Enea begins as a film student who grows into a celebrated director, turning his romance with Pietro into the seed of his storytelling. He navigates public success and private longing, eventually forming deep relationships with others, including Antonio. Across the years, his art becomes a vehicle for his truth, while his memory of Pietro influences how he presents himself to the world. His life arc centers on the tension between fame, love, and memory.

Alice is the loyal friend whose generosity helps the lovers by providing access to a grandmother’s apartment. She appears as a quiet catalyst whose actions enable moments of intimacy and memory to unfold. Her presence links the personal with the practical aspects of the relationship, giving the romance a tangible setting. She remains a steady, supportive presence across the timeline.

Giulia is Pietro’s wife, a practical anchor in the late-1980s life he builds after his youth. Her reactions to Pietro’s emotional responses—especially to Enea’s story—show the tension between conventional life and concealed past loves. She witnesses the past’s resurfacing through cinema and memory, revealing how personal histories persist even after marriage. Her presence grounds the present as Pietro confronts what he left behind.

Titti runs the Nuovo Olimpo theater with exuberance and energy, making it a cultural hub and a haven for clandestine encounters in the late 1970s. She helps Enea escape during the theatre turmoil, becoming a pivotal connector between the lovers. Her character embodies the theater’s vitality and the social space it represents, where art, identity, and desire intersect. She embodies a memory-keeping force around the venue.

Ernesto is the figure who reappears across the timeline, reminding Pietro of Enea’s ongoing fame by revealing that Enea is now a renowned director. He acts as a link between the first encounter and later revelations, anchoring the past in the present. His role underscores how the past can echo through later social circles and artistic achievements.