Michela Cescon’s ‘Desiderio’ premieres at Rome Film Fest

Michela Cescon’s second directorial feature, ‘Desiderio’, was presented at the Rome Film Fest. The film is an adaptation of Giorgio Montefoschi’s 2020 novel of the same name.

Set against the backdrop of Rome and Villa Borghese, the story follows the evolving connection between two characters, Livia and Matteo, played by Romana Maggiora Vergano and Enrico Borello. The narrative spans several decades, beginning in the late 1980s when the pair meets at a country estate, and follows their lives as they reconnect years later—Matteo as a journalist and Livia carrying a secret.

Produced by Lumière and Rai Cinema, with Fandango involved in distribution, the film explores themes of longing and the passage of time. While the film premiered at the festival, its theatrical release is anticipated for the spring of 2027.