The film by Federica Oriente and Ilaria Braccialini, developed from their IED graduation project, is now screening in cinemas across Milan, Rome, Bologna and Turin, distributed by Lo Scrittoio
Date
14 October 2026
Prostitution rings, violence and rebellion, solidarity and resilience come together in a powerful road movie about self-discovery and human fragility.
The feature film Alina’s Song is arriving in cinemas with distribution by Lo Scrittoio. Screenings will take place at Anteo Palazzo del Cinema in Milan on 23 and 25 October, with the filmmakers and production team in attendance. The film will also be released in Rome at Cinema Troisi from 22 to 26 October, before continuing to Bologna, San Benedetto del Tronto and Turin.
This theatrical release marks an important milestone for a deeply moving story that began as a graduation short film project at IED Milan. The project was later developed with the support of Fondazione Francesco Morelli, after winning the Foundation’s 2025 Grant, and with additional backing from Friuli Venezia Giulia Film Commission and Marche Film Commission.
The directorial debut of Ilaria Braccialini and Federica Oriente, who graduated from IED in 2023, was produced by the independent collective Oxymoro Creative Studio, founded by the directors together with Denis Shalaginov and Daniele Talenti, in collaboration with Akita Film and IED alumni Luca Sirtori, Giulia Destro and Gilberto Federici.
For updated screening dates, visit oxymoro.eu.
THE STORY
Johana (Caterina Truci), a young migrant travelling along the Balkan route, dreams of reaching Europe. During her journey, she meets Alina (Adriana Papana), a slightly older Moldovan woman with whom she forms a strong bond. Once in Italy, they fall victim to a prostitution trafficking ring. Alina, who initially appears to be the stronger of the two, gradually loses herself until she eventually succumbs to her circumstances.
Devastated by her friend’s death and unwilling to endure a life of violence and abuse any longer, Johana finds the courage to rebel and escape. She kidnaps Lorenzo (Cristiano Caldironi), a middle-aged taxi driver, forcing him to drive towards the border.
What begins as a desperate escape gradually turns into a profound encounter between two lonely souls. Through their journey, an unexpected mutual respect emerges, along with a fragile sense of solidarity born from shared pain. For Johana, the escape becomes an act of courage and redemption. Beyond the border lies the hope of a new life and, at last, the freedom to shape her own destiny.
CO-DIRECTING: BEYOND THE LABEL OF FEMALE FILMMAKING
“The brutal realities of human trafficking offer one of the most honest and contradictory portraits of our society,” the directors explain. “Johana represents the determination of one of the many invisible women who find the strength to rebel and discover that they deserve a different future. Our decision to co-direct stemmed from the desire to engage with someone who shared the same sense of urgency while bringing a different perspective on reality.
We do not want to be confined by the label of ‘female filmmaking’ simply because we are telling a story centred on female experience. It is a challenge that encourages us to grow and move beyond our own personal backgrounds. Moreover, the wider team behind the film has never been limited by gender binaries, but rather enriched by the unique sensitivity and outlook of every individual involved.”
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
At the 2025 Trieste Film Festival, Alina’s Song received the prestigious award for Best Film in the Premio Corso Salani section. Since then, the film has been selected by numerous international festivals, including the Barcelona Indie Filmmakers Festival, Madrid Indie Film Festival, London Director Talent Movie Award, Westminster Film Festival and International Film Gala London.
In Italy, it was also shortlisted for the Fabrique du Cinéma Awards as Best First Feature and won the Best First Feature Award at the Asti International Film Festival.
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