ITALY – 2008 – 75 MIN – COLOUR - FEATURE - IN ITALIAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
A FILM BY GIANNI DI GREGORIO

The charismatic Gianni Di Gregorio (co-scenarist of the smash hit Gomorrah), stars in his directorial debut—an utterly charming tale of good food, feisty ladies and unlikely friendships during a very Roman holiday. Broke, and armed with only a glass of wine and a wry sense of humor, middle-aged Gianni resides with his 93-year-old mother in their ancient apartment. The condo debts are mounting, but if Gianni looks after the building managers mother during the Pranzo di Ferragosto (Italys biggest summer holiday, and the Feast of the Assumption), all will be forgiven. Then the manager also shows up with an auntie, and then a doctor friend appears with his mother in tow... Can Gianni keep four such lively mamas well fed and happy in these cramped quarters? MID AUGUST LUNCH will be released March 17, 2010 in New York before opening around the country. For more information visit: www.zeitgeistfilms.com

Gianni is a middle-aged man, the only son of his widowed mother, with whom he lives in an old house in central Rome. Living under the tyranny of this impoverished aristocrat, his life drags on between housework and going to the bar. 

The day before the August bank holiday the condominium manager asks him to take his mother into his home for the two days of the bank holiday. In exchange, he will knock some money off the condominium debts Gianni has run up over the years. 

Gianni is forced to accept. 

The manager treacherously turns up with two women, since he doesn't know where to take his aunt, he brings her along too. 

Gianni is overwhelmed and crushed by the clash between these three dominant characters, but heroically does his best to make them happy. At a certain point he feels faint and calls a friend of his who is a doctor. The doctor not only reassures Gianni, but foists his own elderly mother on him, since he is on shift at the hospital. 

Gianni goes through 24 hours of hell. 

But when at last it’s time to say goodbye, the women have other ideas…