Decoding a Huge Success: the Two Faces of C’è ancora domani (There’s Still Tomorrow)

Abstract

In October 2023, C’è ancora domani, the first feature film directed by Paola Cortellesi, was released in Italy. After being in theaters for almost a year, it totaled 44 million euros in takings, surpassing foreign titles such as Barbie and Oppenheimer. The economic success and the cross-cutting consensus received from spectators and critics inevitably make C’è ancora domani a case worthy of attention. In this framework, the article adopts the perspective of media industry studies to understand which factors linked to the film’s production and distribution may be able to explain, in a substantial or accessory manner, its success. Secondly, C’è ancora domani is used to track down and discuss critical issues in the Italian film industry. Using Cinetel data and statements released by various stakeholders, the study shows how the film was differently promoted in two consequent phases (firstly hiding its committed nature, and then exploiting word of mouth), thus aggregating two different audiences over time. From this perspective, C’è ancora domani demonstrates how, in order to valorized films, it is always important to develop ad hoc strategies, and that the prototypal nature of films also concerns the promotional patterns.