Brussels – As part of the Italian Cultural Institute’s film series “Venice in Brussels”, Paolo Strippoli’s feature film “The Valley of Smiles” will be screened this evening, 20 January, at 7 p.m. Following the screening, director Paolo Strippoli and lead actress Romana Maggiora Vergano will take the stage for a discussion with IIC Director Pierre Di Toro and Cultural Attaché Salvatore Marfella, and will answer questions from the audience.

The film tells the story of Sergio, a teacher marked by a profound personal loss who moves to a remote Alpine village and discovers a community of striking serenity. The secret lies in Matteo, a young man with the mysterious ability to absorb the pain of others through a collective ritual. Freed from his own suffering, Sergio gradually begins to sense the darker side of this artificial peace.