The Best of Youth

Matteo's suicide is the culmination of years untreated depression and emotional trauma. After the failed attempt to rescue Giorgia from the abusive sanitarium, he abandoned his studies, struggled with his mental health as a police officer, and carried deep shame for not visiting his mother. The return of Mirella with news about their son Andrea appears to trigger his final breakdown, leading him to leap from his balcony on New Year's Eve.

Matteo's pattern of withdrawing from relationships, from Giorgia, from his mother, from Mirella, foreshadows his ultimate withdrawal from life itself.

Nicola's decision to become a psychiatrist stems directly from witnessing the horrors inflicted on Giorgia in the abusive sanitarium. Her traumatic treatment and the brothers' failed rescue attempt leave a lasting impression on him. He passes an important exam and dedicates his career to fighting the injustices faced by patients in mental institutions.

The brothers' early attempt to save Giorgia plants the seed for Nicola's professional calling.

Nicola orchestrates Giulia's capture to protect her from herself and others after she disappears into a hidden cell of the Red Brigades. Consumed by guilt after Matteo's suicide, Nicola is determined to prevent another tragedy in his family. He wants to shield Giulia from the dangerous consequences of her involvement with the militant group.

Matteo's death and the family's fragmentation directly cause Nicola to take drastic action to protect those he loves.

Andrea is Matteo's son. After Matteo dies, Mirella reveals the truth through a photograph, she had a son with Matteo, but Matteo never knew about him. This revelation comes as a shock to the family and gives Nicola's mother a renewed sense of purpose when she bonds with Mirella and Andrea on Stromboli.

Mirella's earlier encounter with Matteo and her subsequent pregnancy were briefly shown but not explained at the time.

The traumatic experience of trying to rescue Giorgia from the abusive sanitarium, and failing, sends the brothers in opposite directions. Matteo, overwhelmed by despair, abandons his studies and eventually joins the army, seeking escape. Nicola channels his pain into his studies, passing his exam and becoming a psychiatrist. Their divergent responses to trauma, one retreat, one confrontation, define their entire adult lives.

The brothers' different reactions to stress and emotional pain are visible even in their earlier scenes together.

Giulia becomes involved with a hidden cell of the Red Brigades, the leftist militant organization active during Italy's Years of Lead. Her strong beliefs, established early in her relationship with Nicola, lead her toward radical political action. Her sudden disappearance leaves Nicola devastated and ultimately sets in motion the chain of events that leads to her imprisonment.

Giulia's political convictions are established early in her relationship with Nicola, foreshadowing her radicalization.

Matteo's volatile nature leads to problems in Sicily, causing him to flee the island and return to Rome. His shame prevents him from visiting his mother, suggesting he has done something or behaved in a way that he cannot face. This withdrawal from family compounds his isolation and mental health struggles.

Matteo's pattern of running away from difficult situations begins early and intensifies throughout the film.

Nicola and Giulia settle in Turin and have a daughter named Sara, but their relationship remains platonic without the formal bond of marriage. This arrangement reflects the unconventional nature of their relationship and Giulia's independent spirit. Even when Nicola proposes to her during her imprisonment, Giulia refuses.

The unconventional nature of their relationship is established from the beginning in Norway.

After the brothers' lives diverge following the Giorgia incident, Nicola moves to Norway to work as a lumberjack. This represents his attempt to start fresh and pursue a different path from Matteo. While there, he meets Giulia, a university student, who becomes an integral part of his life.

The brothers' separation after Giorgia's rescue attempt sets the stage for Nicola's new life abroad.

After the authorities swiftly reclaim Giorgia from the brothers' attempted rescue, she remains trapped in the abusive sanitarium system. Years later, Nicola discovers her suffering in a hospital under horrific conditions. Her silence and fear vividly illustrate the trauma inflicted upon her by those meant to provide care.

The brothers' failed rescue attempt sets in motion Giorgia's continued suffering.

After completing his military service, Matteo returns to Rome and becomes a police officer. This role provides him with some structure and purpose, but he remains haunted by lingering sadness, anger, and regret. The job represents his attempt to find meaning and order in his life, though it ultimately fails to resolve his internal struggles.

Matteo's search for meaning through helping others (first with mental patients, then as a police officer) shows his ongoing struggle to find purpose.

Nicola proposes to Giulia during her 17-year imprisonment, but Giulia refuses. This proposal reflects Nicola's continued commitment to her despite her actions and incarceration. It also represents his attempt to maintain a connection and offer her stability after her release, though Giulia is not ready to accept it.

Nicola's guilt over Matteo's death drives his efforts to hold onto the family he has left.