Gianni di Gregorio: 'Wine is like a crutch – it supports me'

The director of 'Mid-August Lunch' returns with a charming new comedy

Gianni di Gregorio is one of the great late starters of European cinema, writing, directing and starring in his first feature, the sublime miniature, ‘Mid-August Lunch’ (2009), at the tender age of 60. A long-time resident (and lover) of Rome, his wry, warm comic style and his employment of a screen alter-ego (also named Gianni), who reflects his own passions and anxieties, has seen him compared to Woody Allen and Nanni Moretti. His charming latest is ‘The Salt of Life’ and it offers a comic analysis of Gianni’s lust for younger women.

‘Mid-August Lunch’ was about a time during the ’90s when you were living with your mother. Is ‘The Salt of Life’ based on the same period?
‘I basically store up experiences and make the film after. The gestation was much shorter for “The Salt of Life”. It took just one or two years to develop. That problem of women not looking at you when you hit a certain age was what I was experiencing at the time. Paradoxically, after the success of “Mid-August Lunch”, that state of things became even worse.’

I would have thought it would have been the opposite?
‘Well, I would be lying if I didn’t say I was expecting something to happen.’

Could we see the new film as a sequel to ‘Mid-August Lunch’?
‘My intention was to do something separate, but essentially my character is the same and the mother is the same. I didn’t actually want the mother in there this time – I had written only a small role. But she [95-year-old Valeria de Franciscis] was so great in front of the camera, her role grew during the shoot.’

What’s the difference between Gianni on screen and you?
‘There’s not a lot of difference. That’s really how I am. My salvation is the fact I can tell these stories. It’s like therapy. Although, I find that all my faults remain, even after I’ve had this catharsis.’



Were you a hedonist in your early years?
‘I’ve always looked for it, not always getting the right results. One side of me, the intellectual side, embraces literature, music and a more solitary life. The other half is the person you see on screen. Between pleasure-seeker and bookish gentleman, the quiet side always wins.’

The concept of a film about an older man chasing women could have been very seedy, but in fact it’s extremely charming, and even sad.
‘The melancholy was there, but it took hold of me and took me further than I had intended. Clearly, there is a fear on my part; the fear of those lovely things, like romance, not being possible. I think those moments of melancholy hold the film together – they give it a reason.’

Are the four older women from ‘Mid-August Lunch’ now famous?
‘Very famous! Valeria was especially proud of the time her priest waved to her during mass.’

Food and drink play an important role in your films.
‘I love cooking. The wine… I include that in the films just so I can enjoy drinking it and nobody can tell me off. I made it part of the character, but as you might have guessed, it’s also the case in real life.’

Are you a wine lover?
‘Yes, white wine especially. I select all the wines seen in the film. If it’s a light white, I can generally drink two bottles a day, which amazes some people. I just pace myself and spread it across the day. Also, a little wine does help with my acting.’

So that’s a glass of wine an hour?
‘For me, wine is like a crutch – it supports me.’

Read our review of 'The Salt Of Life'



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