Aprile review

The sequel to Dear Diary is another piece of idiosyncratic first-person storytelling from the man dubbed Italy's Woody Allen. Blending the personal and the political, Aprile chronicles nearly three years in the life of its director.

The title is drawn from a month marked by two events: the birth of Moretti's son and the collapse of the Berlusconi right-wing government to be replaced by a left-wing coalition. It's this political upset which inspires the left-leaning Moretti to make a documentary about the upcoming elections.

Beautifully photographed by Giuseppe Lanci, Aprile is a work of charm, candour and humour which shoots off on all manner of unlikely tangents. Some may find it self-indulgent, but there are enough good moments here to ensure a pleasurable ride.