Felicia is joined by Bryan and Hannah Loomis to discuss a film about hope and making the most out of the life you’ve been given in Vittorio De Sica’s Miracle in Milan (1951). We chat about De Sica and Zavattani’s (his long time writing partner) communist ideals and how they translate to the importance of community and choosing your own family. Along with the mix of realism and fantasy to create a story that leaves the viewer feeling hopeful. This is the series two opening film and I think this is the perfect example of how layered De Sica’s work often was, and how he could easily blend comedy and drama. Send us your thoughts on the episode by sending us a message on any of our social platforms or by email: seeingfacesinmovies@gmail.com Follow Bryan and Hannah here: Website: PODCAST | What a Picture (whatapicturepod.com) Bryan on Bluesky: @bryanwhatapic Bryan on Letterboxd: @bryan_whatapic Catch up on our previous episodes with Bryan and Hannah: All The President’s Men (D.O.P. Gordon Willis 1976)I Was Born, But… (Yasujirō Ozu 1932) Sources: https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/7755-miracle-in-milan-it-is-goodness https://www.nytimes.com/1951/12/18/archives/the-screen-in-review-miracle-in-milan-an-italian-fable-directed-by.html https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/aug/01/beeban-kidron-miracle-in-milan https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2020/cteq/miracle-in-milan-vittorio-de-sica-1951/ OUTRO SONG: Miracolo a Milano (Suite) by Alessandro Cicognini FILMS MENTIONED: All the President’s Men (Alan J. Pakula 1976) I Was Born, But… (Yasujirō Ozu 1932) Shoah (Claude Lanzmann 1985) Histories of Cinema (Jean-Luc Godard 1989-1999) Bicycle Thieves (Vittorio De Sica 1948) The Earrings of Madame De… (Max Ophüls 1953) Umberto D. (Vittorio De Sica 1952) Shoeshine (Vittorio De Sica 1946) Divorce Italian Style (Pietro Germ 1961) Marriage Italian Style (Vittorio De Sica 1964) It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra 1946) The Phantom Carriage (Victor Sjöström 1921) Divorce of Lady X (Tim Whelan 1938) Happy as Lazzarro (Alice Rohrwacher 2018) Nomadland (Chloé Zhao 2020) La chimera (Alice Rohrwacher 2023) Yoyo (Pierre Étaix 1965) Yi Yi (Edward Yang 2000)