The Fire Within You
| The Fire Within You | |
|---|---|
 International teaser poster | |
| Italian | Il fuoco che ti porti dentro |
| Directed by | Edoardo De Angelis |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Based on | Il fuoco che ti porti dentro by Antonio Franchini |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Vladan Radovic |
| Edited by | Lorenzo Peluso |
| Music by | La Niña |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | 01 Distribution |
Release date |
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Running time | 94 minutes |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian |
The Fire Within You (Italian: Il fuoco che ti porti dentro) is a 2026 Italian drama film directed by Edoardo De Angelis,[1] co-written with Ilaria Macchia and Francesco Piccolo, based on the 2024 novel Il fuoco che ti porti dentro by Antonio Franchini. It stars Vanessa Scalera, Lino Musella, Elena Radonicich, Ivana Lotito, and Tommaso Ragno.[2]
The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on 9 September 2026, where it competed for the Golden Lion.[3]
Synopsis
[edit]Antonio lives in Milan with a good job and a family, far away from his mother Angela, a dramatic, charming, old-fashioned, and difficult woman who comes to visit him for Christmas. Their Christmas Eve dinner turns into an emotional and funny but also harsh clash that brings back old misunderstandings. By the end of the night, mother and son face each other openly, in a moment that changes how they see their relationship, a love that burns like a fire within.
Cast
[edit]- Vanessa Scalera as Angela
- Lino Musella as Antonio
- Elena Radonicich
- Ivana Lotito
- Tommaso Ragno
- Nicole Malaj
- Samuele Mazza
- Tony Laudadio
Production
[edit]Filming took place in Naples from 23 February to 1 April 2026.[4][5]
Release
[edit]The Fire Within You premiered in the main competition of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on 9 September 2026.[6][7] It was also selected in the World Cinema section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival, where it will be screened in October.[8]
Rai Cinema International Distribution acquired world rights to the film before its premiere.[9]
Reception
[edit]Critical response
[edit]Reviewing at Venice International Film Festival for Cineuropa, Camillo De Marco praised the film as a dense, humorous and moving family drama, highlighting Vanessa Scalera's performance as Angela. De Marco observed that Edoardo De Angelis condenses Antonio Franchina's autobiographical memoir into a single Christmas Eve, unfolding largely in one location and in real time, and compared its domestic tensions to a contemporary version of Eduardo De Filippo's 1931 film Natale in casa Cupiello. He praised De Angelis's direction, particularly the long takes, psychological tension and dialogue-driven structure, as well as Vladan Radovic's cinematography and La Niña's score. He concluded that the film's emotional resolution "isn't about forgiving or justifying, but simply about loving."[10]
Accolades
[edit]| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venice Film Festival | 12 September 2026 | Golden Lion | The Fire Within You | Nominated | [11] |
| BookCiak Award | Won | [12] | |||
| Award Francesco Pasinetti: Best Actress | Vanessa Scalera | Won | [13] | ||
| Soundtrack Stars Award: Best Soundtrack | La Niña and Alfredo Maddaluno | Won | |||
References
[edit]- ↑ De Angelis, Edoardo (21 July 2026). "The Fire Within You". Cineuropa. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
- ↑ "Il fuoco che ti porti dentro: finite le riprese del film di Edoardo De Angelis" [The Fire Inside You: Filming on Edoardo De Angelis's film has wrapped.]. Sky TG24 (in Italian). 5 April 2026. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ Nick Vivarelli (23 July 2026). "Venice Film Festival Lineup: Robert Pattinson's 'Primetime,' Martin McDonagh's 'Wild Horse Nine,' Oasis Reunion Doc and More". Variety. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ Carmela De Rose (2 April 2026). "Terminate a Napoli le riprese de "Il fuoco che ti porti dentro": il nuovo film di Edoardo De Angelis" [Filming has wrapped in Naples for "The Fire You Carry Inside," Edoardo De Angelis's new film]. Il Messaggero. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ Alessandra Farro (1 March 2026). "De Angelis, un film dal libro di Franchini" [De Angelis, a film based on Franchini's book]. Il Mattino. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ De Marco, Camillo (28 July 2026). "Il fuoco che ti porti dentro set to compete in Venice". Cineuropa. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ "The Fire Within You". Venice Film Festival. 22 July 2026. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ "The Fire Within You". Busan International Film Festival. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ Nick Vivarelli (26 August 2026). "Italy's RAI Cinema International Boards Edoardo De Angelis' 'The Fire Within You' Ahead of Venice Launch, Reveals First Clip (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
- ↑ De Marco, Camillo (9 September 2026). "Review: The Fire Within You". Cineuropa. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ Roxborough, Scott (23 July 2026). "Robert Pattinson, Penélope Cruz, Alicia Vikander and Oasis Lead All-Star Venice Lineup". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
- ↑ Abbatescianni, Davide (12 September 2026). "Venice announces the winners of its parallel awards". Cineuropa. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
- ↑ "Biennale Cinema 2026 | Collateral Awards and Events of the 83rd Venice Film Festival". La Biennale di Venezia. 12 September 2026. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
