Don't Move

Based on a novel by his wife Margaret Mazzantini, actor-turned-director Sergio Castellitto's DON'T MOVE is a strikingly accomplished drama that features an unforgettable performance by Penelope Cruz. Successful doctor Timoteo (Castellitto) is shocked to discover that his fifteen-year-old daughter has been in a life-threatening motorcycle accident. As a fellow surgeon performs a dangerous procedure on her brain, Timoteo recalls a passionate affair he had before his daughter was born. He met the woman, Italia (Cruz), when his car broke down on the outskirts of the city. After an initial first encounter that resulted in Timoteo's brutally raping the hapless Italia, he found himself shunning his beautiful wife Elsa (Claudia Gerini) and returning to visit Italia more and more frequently. What began as a dark, shameful outlet for his disgust with his bourgeois existence grew to become a genuine love that would change Timoteo's--and Italia's--life forever. Dripping with sensuality, Castellitto's sprawling drama captures the exhilarations and frustrations of a man who is unable to come to grips with his ever-narrowing path in life. Yet DON'T MOVE belongs to Cruz, who delivers a heartbreaking performance that is devastating in its honesty and sadness.