Sweetheart (Gioia mia)

Young Nico from Milan is glued to his smartphone. When his beloved babysitter leaves and the endless summer vacation approaches with rapid strides, his parents send him to his great-aunt Gela in Sicily. In her old-fashioned apartment without Wi-Fi or modern conveniences, time passes slowly. Nico’s fast-paced, digital life contrasts sharply with Gela’s traditional values and routines. Yet he discovers that the struggles and feelings he has, are familiar to his great-aunt. ‘Gioia mia’ is the feature debut from Margherita Spampinato. The film premiered at the film festival in Locarno, where the film won two awards: the CINE+ Special Jury Prize and the Pardo for Best Performance for actress Aurora Quattrocchi as Gela.