A Brief Vacation (Italian: Una breve vacanza) is a 1973 melodrama film directed by Vittorio De Sica. The screenplay, written by Cesare Zavattini, was inspired by an Apollinaire adage ("Sickness is the vacation of the poor").

Una breve vacanza
Italian theatrical release poster
ItalianUna breve vacanza
Directed byVittorio De Sica
Written byCesare Zavattini
Produced byArthur Cohn
Starring
CinematographyEnnio Guarnieri
Edited byFranco Arcalli
Music byManuel De Sica
Production
companies
  • Verona Produzione
  • Azor Films
Distributed byCinema International Corporation
Release dates
  • 21 July 1973 (1973-07-21) (Taormina)
  • 7 September 1973 (1973-09-07) (Italy)
  • 2 June 1975 (1975-06-02) (Spain)
Running time
106 minutes
Countries
  • Italy
  • Spain
LanguageItalian

Synopsis

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The film concerns a female factory worker from Calabria who falls ill on the job and is prescribed a stay at a mountain retreat. She goes despite her husband's wishes, leaving behind her thankless work shift and her frustrating in-laws, but also her three children. The film addresses issues such as the health care system, labor conditions, spousal satisfaction, and class struggle.

Cast

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Critical reception

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The film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film by the U.S. National Board of Review.[1]

Florinda Bolkan won the inaugural Best Actress prize from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association for her performance.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "1975 Award Winners". National Board of Review of Motion Pictures. 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Awards for 1975 - LAFCA".
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