Original subtitles

a fire inside our heart

Thanks! Bravo! Bravo!

"December 19th, 1993"

Very good!

Ah Ah Ah, he hates smoking,

no dandruff, sweaty hands, beard or brown suits.

- No beard, I'll keep that in mind. - Good.

Leo? Leo!

Leo! Leo! Leo!

- Don't leave me. - I won't leave.

Wait, I'm here, I'm not leaving you.

I'm here.

Hello? I need an ambulance.

The Jolly Hotel, quickly!

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

You husband is out of danger.

He is in Intensive Care. You can see him now.

- No. - You don't want to see him?

He's not my husband.

The election results are now clear.

Silvio Berlusconi has won the election,

and immediately announced that he will take charge of the government.

He said: "I'm going to fix Italy."

The right-wing parties:

Come on Italy, the League and National Alliance,

have a strong majority inside the Chamber of Deputies.

But are tied in the Senate.

Shall we go, Mr. Prime Minister?

"March 28th"

I'll walk.

- Please, good evening. - Good evening.

- Here you go. - Thank you.

- There he is! -

You're great, Silvio!

Hon. Grandi, do you feel honorable enough?

Thanks thanks thanks.

- Miss Castello, are you happy? - Very, I don't know how to thank you.

- I'm counting on you. - Great, President!

It really was like a tunnel.

Then, far away, I saw a warm light, as they say

I felt that if I had reached it, I would be at peace.

- You didn't feel like staying there? - Yeah, sure.

- I heard the voice of God, at least I think it was him. - What did He say?

"Are you ready?"

I replied: "Well. There is Berlusconi waiting for me,"

He says to me: "Oh well, he's more important!"

- Sorry. - Please.

- Fool. - You liked me once.

Hey, the party's almost finished.

No, this evening must never end.

Come in, he's singing, come.

What is left of old lovers?

Yeah... What's left?

Desire.

We already had fun, didn't we?

Well, it was another life.

- Exactly. - Come on!

We won the election.

So, do you wanna do something you'll regret, Miss Honorable?

May I...?

Excuse me.

May I...?

Here you are.

- What do you say? - You're an incredible babe.

No, I have to convey seriousness, credibility...

- It's worse than the first day of school. - Don't worry.

Everything's going to be alright.

In Montecitorio today a happy right-wing is coming to make a start, wearing fresh colours, sunglasses

fighting with clerks. A high watermark of female presence.

Female MPs with a fresh blow-dry and nice silk shirts.

They are young, tanned, willing, efficient, on time they never sweat.

They have a pin with the emblem of the party and in their eyes the desire to change the country.

- Veronica! - Veronica, this way!

- Ma'am! - Over here, over here!

- Veronica! - Thanks.

- Your key. - Yup.

- I'm here for anything. - Thanks.

Will you let me know as soon as you know something?

Thanks.

Good job you're here, if not, they'd all say I am the pretty one.

A bit for both.

- Hi, Stefania. - Veronica.

It was my assistant on the phone did you choose yours?

It makes me laugh to have an assistant!

A man who works for us for a change.

The best ones are already taken. You need a good one.

Sorry.

Yes? Here I am, what's up?

Ma'am, good morning.

- What are you doing here? - I have a job for you.

What are you here for, exactly?

Because of the electoral system, we got blackmailed by the League.

Even if they got fewer votes than us, they have more MPs.

- We have to take them back. - How?

By convincing as many Northern League MPs as possible to switch to Forza Italia.

You should manage to convince three of them.

- Are you up to it? - What am I supposed to do?

We'll talk to them.

When people see you, they become vulnerable.

Ladies and gentlemen and colleagues.

It is my duty to welcome you all.

First of all, I welcome whoever I see for the first time in the chamber,

with whom we'll learn to be friends.

Popular trust that brought you to this place

it is the most precious thing that exists.

Best wishes and good luck to you all.

for you, for our beloved Italy,

for Italian democracy.

- What do we know about him? - He's new.

The regional secretariat chose him, not Bossi's magic circle.

Let's focus on these types.

- There he is. - He's just arrived in Rome and he's already lost.

- Rovati! - Hey, Notte.

- Hi. - Hi, how are you?

- Well, how are you doing? - Well.

- Hi, come on, sit down. - Hi, Sorry.

- Do you know Miss Castello? - Sure.

- Veronica. - Nice to meet you.

- What are you drinking? - A vodka with orange juice.

Vodka orange. Excuse me, will you bring us a vodka orange?

Right away.

... and who ordered these?

Giancarlo, it's a painless switch, you have nothing to lose, only to gain.

According to European polls, we are winning.

- They're just polls. - So far they've been right.

Isn't it time to join the coalition's main party?

You're a force of protest,

but now that you're in government, why keep on protesting?

- To obtain federalism. - Of course.

Who can get you there? Bossi or Berlusconi?

Silvio is someone who changes your life. Look at me.

I see you, I see you, I see you.

- Sorry, I have to be up early. - Okay.

No, carry on without me.

Maybe Rovati still has questions.

- Leo. - You are my guests.

- Bye, Rovati. - Bye.

Oh, see you.

So dear, you have all night to convince me.

Let's go talk at my hotel. It's nearby, shall we?

I'm sorry.

Where are you going?

Where are you going?

Leo!

- Take me home. - Please.

- Excuse me. - Hey, how did it go with Rovati?

Did you take me for an idiot?

"When people see you, they are vulnerable". Bullshit!

Look where you got to.

You have to prove that you know how to move in this world.

Are you serious? And who the fuck are you?

One who knows you well and who never judged you.

I should have left you for dead.

We don't have to be ashamed of what we are.

- Interesting, so would I be a whore? - No.

You are the most beautiful woman I know, and beauty is power.

Three League men must come to us. Can I count on you?

No, fuck you, Leo. You don't understand. This time I'm serious.

- Miss Castello, come with me. - No come on. - Come come.

- Leave me. - Wait up.

- Here she is. - What is this?

Haven't they told you? There was a vote among the MPs.

Guess who was elected Miss Parliament?

- What? - A cross party vote, majority and opposition.

I chose the sash!

Excuse me.

You have an ass that talks.

- I was looking for you. - You're the last thing I was missing today.

Aren't you going ask me to switch party, like the others?

- What are you talking about? - You know.

We just chatted, it's normal.

- What do you know what is normal? - Pardon?

Who knows how you got in here.

They voted for me, like you.

Do you know that thing you don't like... Democracy...

Miss Parliament! That's the only election you could win.

If I'm not mistaken, you only won because of proportional votes.

Bravo, you follow my political career with great attention.

Career?

Didn't you understand they put you here to be a beautiful figurine?

Leave our people alone.

If not, what will you do? Hit me?

You can clean yourself up as much as you like. In here,

everybody knows who you really are.

Rovati told you just because I didn't sleep with him!

He humiliated me before the commission

and repeated: "Melandri, don't whine!"

Do you understand? Okay, I'll call you, thanks.

Everything okay?

Have we met before?

It's tough, huh? You can prepare as much as you want.

But they just wait for you to turn around to look at your ass, this is.

Oh well.

Do you know why they do it?

Because they can, nobody stops them.

- Even if we are MPs, to them we are furniture. - If not something else.

We are in a country where rape is a crime against morality

and not against the person.

- Really? - Yes, really.

I'm working on a bill written by women for women.

Because severe penalties are needed against sexual violence.

Quite right.

- I'll see you. - Sure.

I have it, he signed.

- We're in too. - What, sorry?

For the bill, we want to help.

Thanks but no, it is an initiative within our party.

You said "written by women for women".

The more of us, the better.

I don't think it's a great move to have Miss Parliament with us.

- Come on let's go. - Let me understand.

Now you're discriminating against me, so you're only against discrimination towards you?

Sorry, Giovanna. Look, she's right.

This doesn't concern just us on the left.

A cross-party alliance on this will be stronger.

- Anna, I'll talk to the secretary about it. - No, it's our initiative.

And in any case no secretary would ever veto it, don't worry.

Welcome.

- Welcome. - Thanks.

How many times do I have to repeat it to you? I get it.

Go away! This asshole...

I forgot to mention, she's with us too.

Sorry, Castello, I'm late.

- You know the honorable... - Mussolini, yes.

We don't want to discriminate her because of her surname.

- Pleasure, - Hi. - No, for heaven's sake.

See you tomorrow, there will be also Sesa Amici, the other signatory.

- My Pleasure. - Nice to meet you.

- Hi. - Let's start.

This is the provisional text

drawn up by our lawyers.

We can't have more than 13 articles

otherwise they won't read it all.

For years we have been trying to make a law against violence on women.

- It always went wrong. - It should be sacrosanct, who opposed it?

Openly nobody, verbally they all agree.

When it's time to put it on the agenda, however...

Ok, we'll talk later about the agenda.

First we have to write a proposal that is iron-proof.

Shall we start? Sesa, do you want to read?

"It is estimated that 1,173,000 women that during their working life...

- Ma'am Honourable. - Giulia.

- Little sister, you remember me sometimes. - I need a favor.

Let's hear it.

- Good morning. - Read here.

"YOUR BOSS TOUCHES YOU? IT'S A CRIME"

Look!

With 347 votes, is elected President of the Chamber of Deputies

Irene Pivetti.

Irene Pivetti!

- You're right. - Indeed, I also agree!

I'll pick up the phone and call him.

- How many coffees? - Coffee.

- Decaf for me. - Really!

With this bill we want more severe penalties

in defence of women. But not for revenge.

We need to stop them using "extenuating circumstances",

settlements, and any compensation for damages,

so that rapists shall never end up free and unpunished.

- Another photo. - Over here.

- One moment. - Please, Ma'am.

How are you?

Very well, thank you.

I'm here to find out if you're doing what you've been told.

I'm working on a bill against violence on women,

and you want me to give blowjobs to those League guys?

- I wasn't that specific. - Witty, now get out of here.

Your decree is signed by Melandri and friends.

PDS.

Watch out, you are working for the enemy.

No, I am improving women's lives.

Isn't that why we're here? To improve things?

They asked me to make a list

of MPs who have worked hard.

Showing interest, ability, and a spirit of sacrifice.

Here, instead, are the others.

Those who will not be put on the ballot at the next elections.

Which list do you want to be on?

Then Truffaut: "The lady next door,"

- Depardieu gives me the chills. - You're too sophisticated, Giovanna.

A love story that made you cry?

- "Officer and gentleman". - Beautiful! - I believe you!

If you replace Depardieu with Richard Gere, I'm in.

- Me: "When Harry Met Sally," - Me...

- Maybe "Pretty woman". - Also.

For "Pretty woman" they had shot a different ending.

Where they both returned to their old lives.

- She went back to being a whore. - Alessandra, what do you mean?

- Here is Sesa. - Hi.

Now that we're all here we can make a nice toast.

We've been good, we can say it.

- It's just a bill... - That hasn't been scheduled for debate.

- What do you say? - Eh?

Our whip just told me.

There you go.

Your party proposed this law, why don't they support you?

The opposition has very little time on the agenda

and that little time is occupied.

- How do we proceed? - Excuse me.

We have a President of the Chamber who is a woman and is our age.

- We ask Pivetti. - She can put pressure on whips.

- If she wanted... - She seems bigoted to me.

Bigot, you say?

Someone tried to sell some of her naked photos to a magazine.

- Oh wow. - For 70 million lire.

They will never publish them. She's the head of the chamber!

Instead what about mine? Every two seconds!

Damn me and when I did those photos for "Playboy".

- They are all quiet with you, how do you do it? - I blackmail them.

Okay, now I have to go.

Aren't you coming for dinner?

- Since I was little... - Boyfriend.

- I'm not there, I'm going to my parents'. - What do we do with Pivetti?

Nothing. She might as well turn against us.

We'll talk to the party leaders, hmm?

- Bye. - Bye.

Great, take it away.

Good morning.

- Good morning, Madam President. - Good morning.

My name is Veronica Castello.

- We stopped? - Yes.

- Aren't we moving? - I would say we're not.

Press the alarm, we can't stay here all day.

They won't leave the third highest ranking person in the state stuck in an elevator.

- My sister's name is Veronica. - Really?

- Older or younger? - Younger.

- She wants to be an actress. - Good luck.

It's a difficult world, huh?

What is it that is not difficult for us women?

Sorry if I ask, but the picture that you ordered removed.

Is it the nudity that bothered you?

When I was younger, my parents had a phase

let's say freaky.

That experience made me allergic to obscenity forever.

That's also why, as the newspapers say,

I dress like a Prussian schoolmistress.

I can't believe it.

My sister and I lived for years

with our mother in a hippie commune.

We have something in common.

- There is no air. - Hmm.

Sorry, do you mind if...?

Oh, it's working?

Strange.

Madam President, I'm part of the group that presented

the bill against violence on women.

- But it wasn't given time in parliament. - Say no more.

It's an important issue. to be carefully evaluated,

but not inside an elevator.

Maybe some other time? Can we count on your help?

- Goodbye, Veronica. - Goodbye, Madam President.

Girls, I think our law will be put on the calendar

at the next conference of party whips.

- What do you know about it? - I spoke to Irene yesterday.

- Pivetti. - What?

We talked. She's not bitch they say.

- Does she support us? - She didn't put it in writing, but my feeling is...

Bravo!

Next time, let us know before taking an initiative.

Don't be a nerd. She was good.

What have you done? I crossed paths with Pivetti.

She was pissed. She says you ambushed her.

We just had a chat.

She says he doesn't accept this kind of pressure.

- So she doesn't support us? - No.

- What? - Eh. - What the hell did you say?

When did you decide that you are our spokesperson?

Oh, calm down, huh? I did it only for the sake of our law.

- Our law, you joined afterwards. - Listen.

Listen, Pivetti is against us, the party whips feel bullied.

There is no hope of getting it on the agenda.

- I really thought I was helping. - You thought wrong.

- See you next week. - Goodbye.

- See you later. - See you later.

Madam President, can I talk to you for a moment?

- I don't have time. - I didn't set a trap for you.

I thought we shared sentiments about the law for women.

I inquired about you, Castello.

You know why I removed that picture? Because it is inconvenient.

It conveys an idea of the woman as an object of desire.

It is not the only inconvenient figure in this Parliament,

but I can't remove the others.

- Bad day? - It can still get worse.

- I didn't say anything. - Good, keep that up.

I saw a psychiatrist after I was shot.

Poor him.

He says I am compelled to get away from those I love, out of fear.

You're just an asshole, here's the diagnosis. It's 100,000 lire, thanks.

- Maybe there's truth in that. - What, that are you are asshole? Yep.

Listen.

I owe you an apology.

Are you apologizing to me? Is it a midlife crisis?

I never thanked you for calling the ambulance.

I guess I owe you my life.

- Anyone would have done that. - Come on...

Let me say thank you.

- You're welcome. - There was no light at the end of the tunnel.

Only darkness and death.

There is nothing after. As long as we are here, let's take everything.

Leo, do you really want to thank me?

Help me get the law against rape on the agenda.

I told you, our people see it as an initiative of the communists.

What if I convince three League men to switch?

Will you have it inserted?

- What are you doing here? - Nothing concerning you.

I'm looking for the Hon. Morra,

the Hon. Viberti and the Hon. Prestodin.

- Yes, wait a minute. - Thanks.

- Do you have a moment? - I'll call you.

- What's happening? - Let me introduce you to three MPs

who have decided to leave the League.

- You and I, in the end, always understand each other. - Hmm.

Come on in.

Leonardo Notte, I introduce you the Honorable Stefania Morra...

- Nice to meet you. - Pleasure. - Claudia Viberti.

- Nice to meet you. - Rosy Prestodin. - Pleasure.

Veronica told us of the rape law

and that in our party nobody supported her, so...

We are from the League. but first of all we are women.

Talk to Leo, he'll explain everything to you.

Please, take a seat.

- Good work! - A coffee? Some water?

Heed her example, Madam Castello convinced three League MPs to join the mixed group.

- An applause for Veronica. - Thanks. - Sir, they are waiting for you.

Ma'am.

Veronica, you will be surprised.

- By what? - Our whip has added the law on the agenda.

I don't know, he changed his mind.

Simona, would you like to become the assistant of an MP?

- Of a female MP, actually. - Really?

- What does an assistant do? - I have no idea.

But if a man can do it...

Thank you.

- Hey, what are you doing here? - Aren't you going to let me in?

The other night I was with my colleagues,

and I wanted to go to dinner with them, but they were all busy.

Children, husbands, family.

They seemed happy.

Resolved.

They looked very sad to me, actually.

Do you know what I thought?

That I was the lucky one.

Because my man is like me.

- Your man? - Yes, you.

- I decided it. - Ah.

What about me? Do I have a say?

Don't worry. No exclusive contract.

- Ah, no? - No, we're not like that.

Feminism has done you good.

I guess I didn't understand well this bill.

For example...

Can this be considered harassment?

Ma'am Honorable Castello...

How about this one? An aggravating circumstance?

It depends.

When you get to the point of actual rape?

Leo?

Oops.

I understand. I'll get my things.

Wait! Why don't you stay?

What kind of people are you?!

Sorry, huh.

It's been a long time since we last met.

- You fucked me up! - Calm down! - Can't you see that you've fucked me up?

You must keep your eyes and ears open...

...and then report to me.

Politics is compromise.

I'm so sorry, Pietro.