Cortellesi movie scores record-breaking ticket sales at Italy’s box office, beating Barbie and Oppenheimer.

C’è ancora domani, the directorial debut of Rome actress Paola Cortellesi, has become one of the top 10 highest-grossing Italian films ever in Italy's cinemas.

Since its release in Italian cinemas on 26 October, the film has been seen by more than 4.3 million people and taken in almost €30 million at the box office, according to the latest data released on Friday.

In terms of admissions the film in recent days narrowly overtook Greta Gerwig's Barbie (also 4.3 million viewers) as well as coming ahead of this year's other blockbuster Oppenheimer which generated 3.7 million ticket sales in Italian cinemas.

Earlier in December Cortellesi's film entered the ranking of the top 10 highest-grossing Italian films since 1995 when Cinetel began charting box office records, news agency ANSA reports.

The black and white movie, whose title in English is There's Still Tomorrow, premiered this autumn at the Rome Film Festival where it won three prizes including the audience award.

Vision Distribution, which is handling international sales for There's Still Tomorrow, told The Hollywood Reporter Roma recently that it has closed deals for the film to be shown in 18 countries around the world.

The neorealist-style movie follows the domestic struggles of an abused housewife in post-war Rome, confronting issues related to patriarchy and women's empowerment.

The film has struck a particular chord in Italy following the brutal murder of 22-year-old student Giulia Cecchettin and has helped to spur a national debate on violence against women.

Cortellesi, 50, stars as Delia who suffers abuse from her violent, controlling husband Ivano (Valerio Mastandrea) as she cares for their three children and her bed-ridden father-in-law.

Delia hopes for a better future for her daughter Marcella (Romana Maggiora Vergano) who becomes engaged to the middle-class Giulio (Francesco Centorame).

However all is not as it seems and everything changes with the arrival of a mysterious letter.

Cover image: C’è ancora domani, photo Claudio Iannone. Article published originally on 13 November, updated on 12 December.