Though it did not receive much publicity in Australia, The Son's Room was a major release in Europe after winning the coveted Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001. Italian director Nanni Moretti wrote, directed and has the lead role, and it is his outstanding performance that holds this tragic yet uplifting film together.
Giovanni (Moretti) is a psychologist with a wife and two children. They live a happy, seemingly normal life in modern-day Italy, until one day tragedy strikes and the son is killed in a freak accident. From here on, the lives of this close-knit family are turned on their heads and each must cope with their grief in their own way. Giovanni is the most affected, his feelings varying from guilt to anger to inconsolable grief. As each member of the family tries to resume a normal existence, the emotional strain becomes too much and the family disintegrates. However, one day, quite unexpectedly, a letter arrives from the son's secret girlfriend, and it is with this stranger and her link to their dead son/brother that the family can unite and perhaps finally achieve closure.
This film is not easy watching, particularly for anyone who has experienced the recent death of a loved one. However, The Son's Room explores and portrays real-life emotions in a way few films do and for that reason alone should not be missed. It's an unforgettable piece of cinema.