Exclusive Trailer for the 4K Restoration of Lina Wertmüller’s The Seduction of Mimi.

      A few years before achieving her historic milestone as the first woman nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director, Lina Wertmüller directed The Seduction of Mimi, her initial collaboration with actress Mariangela Melato. Recently restored in 4K, this 1972 sex comedy, which was selected for the Cannes Film Festival, will have a theatrical release starting April 24 at NYC’s Film Forum. We are excited to present the new trailer and poster exclusively, courtesy of Kino Lorber.

      Here’s the synopsis: “This uproarious sex comedy that brought international recognition to director Lina Wertmüller (Swept Away) follows the misfortunes of Mimi, a Sicilian laborer who loses his job, wife, and home after refusing to support the Mafia’s candidate. At his lowest point, he finds hope as he falls in love with the beautiful and radical Fiorella, embarking on a new life as a dependable husband and father. However, his past resurfaces, bringing a host of comedic complications as he invests all his energy into defending his honor, leading to both disastrous and hilarious outcomes. A sharp satire of 1970s Italy, The Seduction of Mimi critiques a corrupt government, compromised labor leaders, and the primitive sexual politics of powerful men, resulting in riotous humor.”

      The National Museum of Cinema in Turin and Minerva Pictures are presenting the 4K digital restoration. The restoration was undertaken using the original picture and sound negatives preserved in 35mm at Cinecittà Studios. Two gaps in the picture negative were reconstructed from a period positive print archived at the Cineteca of the National Museum of Cinema. The team expresses gratitude to Imago VFX and Audio Innova Srl (Centre for Computational Sonology, University of Padua) for their assistance in color correction and audio restoration. The restoration was completed at the Cineteca of the National Museum of Cinema's laboratory in 2024.

      Watch the trailer below for the newly restored film, which was adapted into the U.S. film Which Way Is Up? starring Richard Pryor shortly after its original release.