The Key

In 1940s Venice, The Key centers on the failing marriage of retired art critic Nino Rolfe and his much younger wife Teresa. As their passion wanes, Nino keeps a diary of explicit sexual fantasies, hoping to ignite Teresa’s desires and rediscover their lost intimacy. Director Marco Bellocchio’s film is a sly, provocative portrait of sexual repression and the power dynamics in a long-term relationship, rendered in sumptuous black-and-white visuals that underscore the couple’s emotional disconnection.