Exclusive Trailer for Venice Premiere: The Cat Awakens and Yawns; Following That, Love Searches for Meaning in Rome.

      Premiering as part of Venice’s Giornate degli Autori (also known as Venice Days), which runs from September 2 to 12, Federico Francioni and Samuele Sestieri’s film Si sveglia e sbadiglia, il gatto; poi l’amore (translated as The Cat Wakes Up And Yawns; Then Love) explores three months in the life of an actress in search of purpose amidst the chaos of Rome. In advance of its debut, we are excited to exclusively present the first trailer and poster.

      The film features Carlotta Velda Mei, Stefano Andrea Macchi, Alessandro Colombo, Laura Sinceri, Fabrizio Ciavoni, Laura Nardi, Nikolai Selikovsky, and Mauro Santini. It is characterized as follows: "Three months in the life of Chiara, an actress approaching forty who grapples with her identity in a bustling, tourist-packed Rome. Invisible, fragile, and constantly restless, she meanders through various experiences in a fervent quest for something that can make her feel genuinely alive."

      The directors shared, “This film emerged from an unstable and precarious daily existence: our own. In a Rome that is becoming increasingly harsh, we aimed to give form to the nightmares, anxieties, and premonitions that disturb us. It serves as a collective exorcism alongside our lead actress, Carlotta Velda Mei, embodying the electric spirit of a city in decline. Carlotta becomes Chiara, a woman on the brink of forty, compelled to adjust in order to survive, belittled by a world that can no longer provide meaning. We sought a fissure within the current reality, envisioning an adventurous, picaresque film influenced by algorithms, triumphant slogans, and images diminished by AI.”

      They further remarked, “We aimed to create an impassioned film that diverged from the traditional production dynamics of contemporary Italian cinema. No pitching sessions, no script workshops – just sixty-five shooting days stretched over a year, a makeshift crew, and a cast of friends. We rediscovered the joy of storytelling, filmmaking together, and sharing our perspective on this historical moment. In our unique way, we endeavored to achieve freedom.”

      Check out the exclusive trailer and poster below: