The central protagonist, a 50-year-old unsuccessful screenwriter tormented by psychosomatic pain and the lingering dominance of his authoritarian father. He struggles with creative blocks, a failed marriage to a younger woman, existential despair, and a suicide attempt. After consulting a psychoanalyst and discovering his wife's long-term infidelity, he ultimately retreats to a solitary shack in Calabria to live among olive groves.
Past romantic companion whose relationship precedes his current marital struggles.
Explore the full interactive character relationship map of Dark Illness