(Original title: Come Quando Fuori Piove) Directed by Gian Paolo Vallati and co-written with the inmates of the Massama Penitentiary, the film tells the story of Ruggero, a man struggling with gambling addiction.
Drowning in debt, Ruggero devises a desperate plan involving an old friend and an ambitious young woman, but the unexpected presence of a mysterious bartender complicates everything.
This short film tackles gambling addiction with realism and honesty, avoiding clichés, and creating space for reflection. “As I read the script, I got angry,” says actor Luca Lobina. “I kept asking myself why human beings are so stupid as to insist on losing everything. When I studied Ruggero, a compulsive gambler, I realized that when you’re sick you can’t see the beauty you have until it’s gone forever. It hurt—I felt the pain of becoming lucid again and realizing there’s nothing left.”
Gambling addiction is an illness, just like cocaine or alcohol dependency. For those who suffer, getting immediate professional help is crucial. If we know someone going through this, we shouldn’t look the other way, we should reach out a hand.
