Lily James is a glamorous actress in 1950s Rome in Saverio Costanzo’s Finally Dawn. The film is finally arriving in theaters after having its world premiere two years ago at the Venice International Film Festival. It released in Italy in February 2024, and will arrive here in the U.S. next month from Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Costanzo has put together an A-list cast for his Italian period drama, set during the Hollywood on the Tiber era of 1950s Rome. James is joined in the cast by Rachel Sennott, Willem Dafoe, and Joe Keery in the film about a young Roman woman and aspiring actress who has the night of her life in Cinecittà.
Alba Rohrwacher, Michele Bravi, and Rebecca Antonaci co-star. Costanzo directed Finally Dawn and wrote the screenplay. It’s his first feature since 2014’s Hungry Hearts (which I reviewed in 2015, God I’m old), which also featured his wife, Rohrwacher.
SYNOPSIS: A young Roman woman during the 1950s is on the verge of becoming engaged to a man. She goes to Cinecittà to do an audition as an extra and is thrust into this almost infinite night during which she discovers herself.
Finally Dawn opens in theaters and digitally on July 18th.
