The Raffle
The Raffle (La riffa) is a 1991 Italian comedy-drama directed by Francesco Laudadio, marking Monica Bellucci’s film debut. Set in Bari, the story follows Francesca, a wealthy widow who must support her daughter Giulia after discovering her late husband Maurizio’s betrayals and mounting debts. Lacking job prospects, Francesca sells her villa, furniture, furs, jewelry, and a boat (which Cesare buys) to cover at least a year of living costs and Giulia’s private schooling.
To raise money, Francesca and Cesare organize a raffle limited to twenty participants, each paying 100 million lire. The winner will get the right to live with Francesca for four years and can ask for anything. Ticket buyers include Maurizio’s friends and Cesare himself. Francesca begins a love affair with Antonio, a penniless young man who seems to know about the raffle and may want to profit from it.
As the drawing approaches, a prosecutor investigates the raffle and the lawyer, threatening a scandal. Francesca tells the police that the prize is Cesare’s boat and that friends are helping, a story the commissioner accepts. In the end, Francesca leaves by plane, living on the money from the raffle.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 07:07 (CET).