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The Woman’s Greatest Value is Her Silence

‘Il valore della donna è il suo silenzio’, FRG/CH 1980, directed by: Gertrud Pinkus, 93 min, Italian with German subtitles, rating: no age restriction 

Shot in the 1970s, the film ‘A Woman’s Greatest Value is Her Silence’ shows the life of a migrant woman from southern Italy now living in Frankfurt am Main. What makes this film unique is its narrative style. Initially, it was intended as a documentary film, but nobody would appear in front of the camera for fear of being tarnished a traitor in the mafia-like family structures. So, Maria tells her story in voice-over. In the frame, other Italian migrant women portray her while playing themselves. Under the protection of anonymity, they dare speak uncomfortable truths. This clever twist lends the film both dramatic irony and refreshing humor. 

Featuring: Maria Tucci-Lagamba, Giuseppe Tucci, Maricio Caruso, Angelo Caruso, Marinella Tucci 

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