Just Five Minutes

A Donatello award nominated short feature about the difficulties faced by a wheelchair bound journalist who is trying to conduct an interview at the top of an historic Roman building.

It didn't quite deliver what I was expecting from the first few frames as wheelchair-bound Franco arrives for his interview with Valeria. She's is preparing to rehearse for a movie scene and is unaware that he cannot get up the stairs to make his appointment. He calls her and she comes to him and the two have quite a convivial chat that extends beyond the predicted scope of their conversation. That covers not just her work but his life, his family and it touches quite sensitively on the effects of his disability that can be frustrating but can also be empowering. It's very much a glass half full exercise this.