Character Relationship Map: The Ties

Characters

• Vanda prima (played by Alba Rohrwacher) — protagonist

  Young wife in 1980s Naples who discovers her husband Aldo's infidelity. She conceals her emotional distress from their two children to protect them from the crumbling trust and love in their cramped a...

• Aldo prima (played by Luigi Lo Cascio) — protagonist

  Husband whose unexpected confession of infidelity fractures his marriage to Vanda, setting off decades of unresolved tension that continues to shape his family dynamics.

• Vanda dopo (played by Laura Morante) — supporting

  Older version of Vanda thirty years later. She remains bound to Aldo, but their ongoing relationship with him and their children continues to be heavily defined by the emotional scars of that initial...

• Aldo dopo (played by Silvio Orlando) — supporting

  Older version of Aldo thirty years later. Despite decades passing, he and Vanda remain connected, yet their interactions and parenting continue to navigate the lingering tension and unresolved issues...

• Giudice (played by Antonella Monetti) — supporting
• Anna (played by Giovanna Mezzogiorno) — supporting

  One of Aldo and Vanda's children. Her upbringing and adult life are impacted by her parents' fractured marriage and the enduring family tension stemming from the initial betrayal.

• Sandro (played by Adriano Giannini) — supporting

  One of Aldo and Vanda's children. He grows up navigating domestic instability, and his relationship with his parents remains shaped by the long-lasting emotional fallout of Aldo's confession.

• Lidia (played by Linda Caridi) — supporting

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Vanda dopo → Anna (Family Parent And Adult Child) — Vanda's relationship with Anna remains connected to the long-term effects of the separation.

  The later family relationship continues to involve Vanda and the children, while Anna's adult life is described as shaped by the fractured marriage.

• Aldo prima → Aldo dopo (Temporal Earlier And Later Self) — The two listed identities represent Aldo before and after decades of unresolved consequences.

  Aldo dopo is explicitly described as the older version of Aldo prima thirty years later.

• Vanda prima → Vanda dopo (Temporal Earlier And Later Self) — The two listed identities represent Vanda at different stages of the same family history.

  Vanda dopo is explicitly described as the older version of Vanda prima thirty years later.

• Aldo prima → Giudice (Power Custody Litigant) — Aldo's parental conduct is assessed during the custody proceedings.

  The Giudice observes that Aldo paid maintenance irregularly, left the children with friends, and did not apply for joint custody.

• Vanda prima → Giudice (Power Custody Litigant) — Vanda presents her case before the legal authority deciding the family's custody arrangement.

  Vanda seeks exclusive custody, while the Giudice evaluates care, maintenance payments, and Aldo's involvement with the children.

• Vanda dopo → Aldo dopo (Romantic Estranged Spouses) — Their continued partnership is marked by anger, silence, and emotional exhaustion.

  Years later, Vanda and Aldo are again living together, but their relationship remains burdened by old resentment and new failures.

• Aldo prima → Lidia (Romantic Partner) — Lidia is connected to Aldo's infidelity and the continuing resentment in his relationship with Vanda.

  Aldo admits that he slept with another woman, and years later Vanda learns that Aldo has seen Lidia again.

• Vanda prima → Sandro (Family Mother) — Vanda is Sandro's primary caregiver during the family's separation.

  The custody discussion states that Vanda has cared for the children full-time, including Sandro.

• Aldo prima → Sandro (Family Father) — Aldo's fatherhood is maintained through visits and gifts but weakened by inconsistent care.

  Aldo and Vanda are raising Sandro, while the custody proceedings specifically examine Aldo's involvement with him.

• Aldo prima → Anna (Family Father) — Aldo is Anna's father, but his inconsistent involvement contributes to the family's division.

  Aldo and Vanda are raising Anna, and Aldo continues visiting the children after the separation.

• Vanda prima → Aldo prima (Family Spouses) — Their marriage is damaged by Aldo's confession of infidelity and remains emotionally unresolved.

  The plot identifies Vanda and Aldo as a married couple raising their two children in Naples.

• Vanda prima → Anna (Family Mother) — Vanda protects Anna from the adults' collapsing relationship and provides her primary care.

  Vanda cares for the children full-time and seeks exclusive custody of Anna and Sandro after the separation.

Story Analysis

A family remains connected across betrayal, separation, aging, and emotional exhaustion.

Plot Progression

1. Warmth Before Betrayal — Vanda and Aldo raise Sandro and Anna through ordinary domestic routines in Naples. Aldo's radio work and private cough signal create an image of family affection before the marriage begins to fracture...
2. The Marriage Splits — Aldo confesses his infidelity, devastating Vanda and destabilizing the household. The emotional rupture turns into a separation involving the children.
3. Custody And Distance — The Giudice evaluates the parents' conduct as Vanda seeks exclusive custody. Aldo continues visiting the children, but a pendant exposes the continuing presence of another woman.
4. A Damaged Reunion — Thirty years later, older Vanda and Aldo are living together again. Professional disappointment, burglary, and Labes's disappearance deepen the sense that their home has become unstable.
5. Anger And Silence — Vanda discovers Aldo's renewed contact with Lidia and confronts him with accumulated anger. Their future remains unresolved, with silence and practical cooperation replacing emotional repair.