Introducing I Knew Her Well

Next Friday, Film Forum begins a weeklong run of our new 4K restoration of Antonio Pietrangeli’s 1965 masterpiece I Knew Her Well, presented by filmmaker Alexander Payne. This newly rediscovered gem, one of Pietrangeli’s most complex and enchanting works, was cowritten by the late Ettore Scola and stars the gorgeous Stefania Sandrelli. Unfolding in a series of episodic snapshots, the film documents the life of Adriana, a young woman who moves to Rome in the early 1960s to pursue a career as a model and actress. A tragicomic portrait of one woman’s struggle to find her way in a society she longs to be a part of, I Knew Her Well offers both a critique of Italian celebrity culture and an impressively progressive examination of femininity. Ahead of its theatrical run and coming disc release, check out the film’s original trailer below for a glimpse of Sandrelli’s commanding performance and the alluring sense of style, which together have given I Knew Her Well such enduring resonance. (Also, check out Janus Films’ new theatrical poster for the film!)