”I’m the older one between us”: Michele Placido’s wife, who is 37 years younger than him, talks about their relationship –

• Federica Luna Vincenti and the 78 year old, together since 2002, are the parents of Gabriele, who turned 18 in February
• They are united by love for their son and the loss of a little girl she gave birth to in the seventh month of pregnancy

Federica Luna Vincenti, wife of Michele Placidodebuted for the first time as an actress in Eternal Visionarydirected by her 78-year-old husband, is among the most anticipated films at the Rome Film Festival. Al Corriere della Sera the 41-year-old, also a producer, singer and composer, who is now studying to be an orchestra conductor, talks about the relationship with the artistwith whom he has been together since 2002. She is 37 years younger than him: they are parents of Gabriele, who turned 18 last February. “I’m the older one between us”he underlines.

Between her and Placido, also the parent of Violante, Michelangelo and Brenno, had by Simonetta Stefanelli, and Inigo, born from the bond with Virginie Alexandre, the meeting was lightning-fast. Federica explains: “He acted in Parabito, where I was born. I was 19 years old. I saw him again the following year in Rome. I lived in a hostel with other students from the Academy. At the wedding in Cisternino, where Al Bano sang, there were people on the roofs of the houses”. Michael is “It was a mountain to climb. I was shy, I had no self-esteem. I had to put on an armour, stand aside and, with a natural choice, support Michele’s great talent, ensuring that the roots took root. It would have been easy to have a first part in one of his films”.

Vincenti comes from the Academy of Dramatic Arts, but has always felt that production is primary. Placido let her do it: “He never wanted to say anything”. She started acting again, she likes it. Confess: “Prejudices? That’s if there were. The most endearing is that I took advantage of Michele. But the older of the two of uswith my physical ailments, is me. My response was to work”. It defines itself “Concrete, granitic, rigid because budget problems don’t let you sleep at night. To think that until I was 25 I was incredibly shy”. And he underlines: “I work with 12 women (it’s a coincidence that they are) and Gabriele, my son and Michele’s”.

Working with her husband was great. Federica specifies: “We have a visceral artistic understandingMichele always tells me: when I act I only trust you. So while she was doing her makeup she told me to set up a scene or arrange the extras. Then we have our arguments, he forgets everything after half an hour, I sulk a little more.” When asked what unites her to him she reveals: “Gabriele, and a deep scar, the pain of the loss of our daughter in the seventh month. And I gave birth. These are things that cannot be told like a game of cards. I still experience that pain in my belly, that raw and strong emotion in all of my projects today.”