L’amore che ho: dir Paolo Licata (2025)

A classic rags-to-riches story of a fierce, gifted woman who rose against overwhelming odds from gruelling labour in the fields of Sicily to the most prestigious stages and huge audiences. In 1990, the near-legendary Sicilian folk singer Rosa Balistreri was at the height of her career – but maybe also at the end of her life. As she tries everything she can to reconnect with her daughter, Rosa’s memories of the past torment her and take her back to the most important moments of her life and work. She dedicated herself to defending the weak, the working class, and abused women, and fought against every misuse of power; and at the same time, she was close to the centre of Italian music, theatre and art, thanks to her encounters with the likes of Dario Fo, Andrea Camilleri, and Franca Rame. The title translates as ‘The love I have’; Rosa’s story reveals the soul of an extraordinary artist and the spirit of a rebel.

This biopic screens as part of Italian Film Week, a curated programme of contemporary Italian cinema presented in collaboration with the Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Abu Dhabi.