An Almost Perfect Country

Pietramezzana is a dwindling village tucked into the Lucan Dolomites, where people worry the place might disappear as families leave and jobs vanish. The outspoken Domenico refuses to accept defeat, and when a factory project surfaces the town pins its hopes on the new plant as a way to survive. The story follows the pack of characters around that idea, from Gianluca, an outsider with reservations, to Anna, who represents younger ambitions. As plans, politics, and petty rivalries collide, the film mixes comic set pieces with quieter moments that show how a community rallies, negotiates, and hesitates without revealing how things end.

Released in 2016, An Almost Perfect Country was created by Massimo Gaudioso and brought together well known Italian actors like Fabio Volo, Silvio Orlando, Carlo Buccirosso and Miriam Leone, positioning it within contemporary regional comedy.

At the box office the picture had a modest run in Italian cinemas and saw only limited release beyond Italy, earning attention more for its ensemble cast than for big commercial returns.

Though not a worldwide phenomenon, the film prompted conversations in Italy about rural depopulation and the promises tied to new industry. Its portrayals of village rituals and local color, along with memorable turns from Orlando and Volo, helped it stick in discussions about recent Italian films that take place outside big cities.

Critics and audiences reacted with mixed feelings, reflected in an aggregate audience score around 5.8 out of 10. Many praised the ensemble chemistry and the warm, occasionally sharp humor, while others pointed to uneven pacing and tonal shifts. The movie leans on themes of community resilience, the friction between tradition and progresso, and how hope can energize a town even as uncertainty lingers.