The Raffle
The Raffle () is a 1991 Italian comedy drama film written and directed by Francesco Laudadio. It marked the film debut by Monica Bellucci. Plot. Bari, Italy. Francesca, a beautiful and rich lady, is left a widow with her daughter, Giulia, and a pile of debts left by her husband Maurizio, whose betrayals she also discovers. On the advice of Cesare, a friend as well as a lawyer, Francesca gradually disposes of a villa by the sea, furniture, furs and jewelry, as well as the boat (which Cesare buys), so as to pay off at least one year of  rent, and little Giulia's exclusive school tuition fees. There are no job prospects for her; so Francesca, in agreement with her lawyer friend, decides to call a raffle where she will be the prize. There will be only twenty participants and they will pay 100,000,000 lire each. The winner will have the right to live with her for four years and can ask for whatever he wants. Participants abound, all friends of the husband and the lawyer himself will be one of them. One day, Francesca runs over a young man, Antonio, with whom she then has a love  relationship. He seems to know the contents of the raffle and, despite proclaiming his amorous passion, he would be willing for her to be enjoyed by the winner, continuing with secret meetings with her. In reality, the penniless young man aims over time to benefit from capital, in kind and in income. A few days before the draw, however, a complaint arrives to the prosecutor. The lawyer's office is searched, and a scandal looms that could shake good local society. Francesca in front of the police does not deny the story of the raffle but says that the prize  is actually made up of the boat purchased by Cesare and the friends have mobilized to help her and the child. The Commissioner, in order not to create a scandal, accepts this version of the facts, after which Francesca takes a plane and leaves forever: she will cash the twenty hundred million checks at ease.