The Upside-Down World
by Arianna Vergari
Overview
Rai Uno
November 14, 2016
97′
Andrea Porporati
Pietro Calderoni, Gualtiero Rosella
11 Marzo Film, Rai Fiction, with the support of Film Commission Torino Piemonte
Marcello Montarsi
Simona Paggi
Francesco Cerasi
Vanessa Incontrada; Flavio Insinna; Fabio Troiano; Aurora Giovinazzo; Monica Dugo; Giovanni D’Aleo; Martino Lauretta; Daniele Gaeta; Stefano Marseglia
Rai Fiction
Gallery
Poster
Trailer
Pressbook
Backstage
by11 Marzo Film Produzioni.
Representation strategies, rhetorics and stereotypes
Narrative & characters
La classe degli asini – loosely inspired by the true story of Mirella Antonione Casale, who in the 1960s fought to secure the right of disabled children to attend compulsory school alongside their peers – rests on a strongly pedagogical narrative framework, centered on the protagonist’s inner and professional transformation. At the beginning of the story, Mirella, a teacher and mother of a severely disabled daughter, is a firm supporter of the “traditional” school model. Gradually, however, she comes to recognize the systemic injustice of segregated classrooms, which operate as mechanisms of social exclusion. Her transformation is sparked, on the one hand, by her encounter with Riccardo, a restless yet gifted child, marked by family difficulties and an early labeling as “unfit.” On the other hand, it is the male co-protagonist who acts as a catalyst: Felice embodies the figure of the revolutionary teacher, unconventional and resistant to oppressive norms, modeled after the more famous John Keating from Dead Poets Society. Yet, animated by a rhetoric of benevolent sentimentality that flattens any subversive edge, Felice seems narratively positioned to counterbalance a story otherwise centered solely on a female protagonist.
All the characters serve to convey a clear message: on one side stand those who embody an inclusive model (Mirella, Felice, ANFFAS), and on the other those who represent a rigid, exclusionary school system (inflexible principals, authoritarian educators). The presence of narrative simplifications and often one-dimensional roles reflects Rai’s editorial line, which aims to reach a broad audience through emotionally engaging yet structurally linear storytelling. Compared with the TV film A muso duro, with which it shares several elements, La classe degli asini addresses disability by interweaving it with the deficiencies of the educational system, avoiding its reduction to an individual difficulty to be overcome. Instead, it shifts the focus from the individual to the institutional context, framing disability as the outcome of structural inequalities. While remaining rooted in a personal story, the narrative acquires a collective significance and positions itself as the voice of a broader social and institutional change – one that culminated in the passage of the Falcucci Law in 1977.
Stereotypes & strategies of inclusion
Inclusion within the Rhetoric of Good Intentions
One of the film’s central narrative threads is Felice’s project of creating an after-school program: an informal, inclusive, and alternative space designed to welcome those “rejected” by the educational system. Midway through the film, Mirella visits this environment for the first time, marking a turning point in her awareness. It is here – guided by her colleague, the sole catalyst for possible change – that she begins to question her long-held convictions. The sequence opens with Felice, in an almost theatrical tone, explaining the taurine roosters to the children. At the end of the lesson, reversing roles, he asks the students to assign him homework. Paolo, a child with Down syndrome played by a non-professional actor, responds with the disarmingly direct request: “Tell us who we are.” This question, striking in its simplicity, introduces the unresolved issue of denied identity. His subsequent inquiry – why, despite being a child, he is not allowed to attend school with others – shifts the scene from pedagogy to the political problem of inclusion. The force of this question unsettles Felice, but above all Mirella, who confronts for the first time the systemic injustice of exclusion. The subsequent exchange between the two adults makes explicit a deeply schematic opposition: Mirella’s conformist rationality, tied to rules and institutional order, versus Felice’s idealism, the bearer of an educational utopia.
The direction does not strive for visual originality or psychological depth, but rather privileges communicative effectiveness, subordinating all other aesthetic components. The simplicity with which the sequence is constructed – balanced between pathos and expressive clarity – serves to convey a precise message: inclusion is not merely physical access to education, but the full recognition of each individual’s value and identity within contexts truly capable of welcoming and transforming themselves. In this respect, a key strength lies in the casting of the young actor with Down syndrome: his presence, more than the staging itself, lends authenticity and immediacy to a narrative designed primarily to elicit empathy and emotional response, rather than to provoke critical reflection.
Conversations
Actor Flavio Insinna, who plays Felice in La classe degli asini, talks about his approach to the character and the themes explored in the drama (Rai, 2016).
Actress Vanessa Incontrada, who portrays Mirella Antonione Casale in La classe degli asini, reflects on her preparation for the role and the film’s social message (Rai, 2016).
Actor Fabio Troiano, who plays Mirella’s husband in La classe degli asini, shares his experience on set and his perspective on the theme of educational inclusion (Rai, 2016).
“Director’s Notes” by Andrea Porporati, in NewsRai, no. 53, November 9, 2016.
«Matteo Levi’s proposal that I direct La classe degli asini struck me as one of those offers one simply cannot refuse. The first reason is that it tells a true story: that of Mirella Antonione Casale […] An extraordinary story, unusual yet simple and profoundly moving. The second reason that drew me to the project is that it is set in the 1970s, the very years in which I myself was a student, like the film’s protagonists. This gave me the opportunity to recall – and, I hope, to help others recall – that Italy which is so often, and rightly, remembered as the Italy of the “Years of Lead,” yet which was also capable of producing acts of civic progress of which we may still be proud, such as the “Falcucci Law” and the “Basaglia Law,” both later adopted as models for similar reforms in other European countries and beyond. […] The fictional character who embodies and gives a face to the many unknown, humble “Don Milani” figures of those years is, in the film, Professor Felice Giuliano, portrayed by an extraordinary Flavio Insinna. The third reason was the chance to tell this story also through the perspective of the children».
Business strategies and communication rhetorics
Strategies
La classe degli asini was conceived as a project deeply aligned with the mission of public service broadcasting. At the press conference held at the Istituto Leonarda Vaccari in Rome, Rai Fiction director Eleonora Andreatta stated: “For Rai this project falls squarely within the editorial line of public service, one of inclusion – of diverse audiences and of major social issues.” Similarly, Rai Uno director Andrea Fabiano emphasized the exemplary value of the story: “These are narratives that wage battles to change the system. For Rai Uno it is essential to give them space.”
The decision to tell a story inspired by real events and linked to a major legislative milestone (the 1977 Falcucci Law) reflects an industrial strategy oriented toward valorizing Italy’s civic heritage, combining historical memory with a pedagogical function. Director Andrea Porporati explained that he accepted the project not only for its ethical significance, but also for the opportunity to recall an Italy capable of collective acts of civility beyond the climate of violence of the 1970s, as well as to narrate the events from the perspective of children. Statements by the director and by both professional and non-professional actors describe a harmonious working environment, marked by a familial and welcoming atmosphere – though perhaps partially idealized.
The production process was also grounded in careful historical research, supported by the direct involvement of the real Mirella Casale, who was able to read the screenplay, propose modifications, and engage with the cast. Equally crucial was the contribution of ANFFAS (the National Association of Families and Persons with Intellectual Disabilities and Neurodevelopmental Disorders), which supported the project from its early stages, helping to guide the narrative toward a historically grounded reconstruction of the path of educational inclusion in Italy.
Communication rhetorics
The promotion of La classe degli asini was closely tied to its educational and civic function. The film continues to be broadcast annually on Rai in conjunction with significant commemorative dates, such as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities or Universal Children’s Day, underscoring the broadcaster’s intent to associate the work with a symbolic calendar of inclusion. Statements by Rai executives, including Andreatta and Fabiano, emphasized the exemplary value of the story by framing it as part of a broader narrative of civil struggles. In press conferences and official communications, the lexicon employed consistently revolved around key terms such as “inclusion,” “public service,” and “just battles,” contributing to the construction of a strong and affirmative – if at times paternalistic – rhetoric.
The emphasis on the extraordinariness of the protagonist, the collective dimension of the action, and the wider social impact of the story positions the film not only as a cultural product but also as an exemplary event, designed to raise awareness and shape a shared imaginary of educational inclusion.
Circulation and audience responses
Circulation patterns
La classe degli asini was distributed primarily as a prime-time television event on Rai Uno (Monday, November 14, 2016), where it emerged as the most-watched program of the evening, attracting approximately 5.7 million viewers and a 21.93% audience share. The broadcasting strategy – closely tied to the symbolic placement of the film within the Rai schedule, often aligned with commemorative dates linked to inclusion – reinforces the project’s pedagogical and social aims.
Reception
The reception of the film was broadly positive, particularly with regard to its civic value and its evocation of a significant chapter in the history of Italian education. However, critical responses focused almost exclusively on the content, with very little attention devoted to formal or stylistic aspects. Beyond coverage in mainstream newspapers such as Corriere della Sera, La Stampa, La Repubblica, or Il Sole 24 Ore, the film attracted little interest from critics specializing in cinema and audiovisual media. As with A muso duro, La classe degli asini was approached primarily as a vehicle for an educational message rather than as an audiovisual work to be analyzed on its own aesthetic terms.
When critics attempted to move beyond content, as in the reviews by Aldo Grasso and Andrea Fagioli, the work’s limitations from an aesthetic perspective became evident: a simplified script, a Manichaean characterization of figures, and a paternalistic tone consistent with Rai’s pedagogical mission but lacking in narrative or visual originality.On social networks and in family-oriented blogs, by contrast, the series received a warm reception, as demonstrated by an analysis conducted by ANFFAS. Families directly affected by disability in particular responded with enthusiasm, privileging emotional involvement and recognition of the film’s inclusive message over any aesthetic evaluation. This confirms that reception was shaped more by the film’s social impact than by its artistic quality.
Italian and foreign press
Italian Press
Antonella Bonavoglia, “‘La classe degli asini’: The Fight for School Inclusion”, Il sole 24 ore, November 15, 2016.
«What do we mean by school inclusion, and why is it so important? Today, the term integration is no longer widely used. Integration referred to the process by which different identities were admitted into the school environment without discrimination, while the system itself remained essentially unchanged in its functional and structural unity. Inclusion, by contrast, goes a step further: it entails a transformation of the environment itself, adapting to the needs and diversities of those within it. It is a mode of relationship that signals greater openness toward others and a deeper sense of shared belonging. […] Mirella Casale paved the way for school inclusion, fighting with courage and selflessness. It is a path that we all have a duty to continue, so that we may achieve the goals envisioned and build communities in which differences are not perceived as problems, but embraced as sources of value».
“‘La classe degli asini’. A TV Drama Inspired by the Life of Mirella Antonione Casale”, Anffas, November 14, 2016.
«[…]when our national headquarters was first contacted by the television editorial team developing the program, we welcomed the initiative with genuine interest and enthusiasm. We immediately committed ourselves to offering the fullest possible collaboration, identifying Mirella’s story as a powerful example of determination and dedication to change, as well as of the contribution that hundreds – indeed thousands – of citizens make every day, often drawing on their own circumstances and life experiences, quietly working for the benefit of the entire community.
Learning about the past and the history of school inclusion in Italy, the President continues, “is of great importance: it allows us to fully understand what special classes once were, what has changed with the introduction of inclusive schools, and above all, it helps prevent us – or so we hope – from taking steps backward, as we often fear, from the significant milestones that have been achieved in such a vital area for the lives and futures of all children and young people”».
Aldo Grasso, “«La classe degli asini» and Vanessa Incontrada’s Educational Mission”, Corriere della Sera, November 15, 2016.
«On this point, there can be little debate. Indeed, given the sensitivity of the themes addressed, one might even say it is almost too easy to win over audiences in this way. The subject matter is so compelling that the writing inevitably recedes into the background. The narrative seems deliberately aligned with the tradition of Turin’s “social sanctity,” with its emblematic figures such as Don Bosco, Giuseppe B. Cottolengo, and Giuseppe Cafasso. Eleonora Andreatta, director of Rai Fiction, expressed her pride in the story chosen for the film: “La classe degli asini is a project that reflects the editorial line of public broadcasting”. For the sake of discussion, however, one might more accurately say that La classe degli asini reflects Andreatta’s own vision of public service broadcasting – a somewhat dated conception, still heavily marked by a pedagogical mission and a paternalistic tone. What is lacking is a true qualitative leap. And, indeed, the current weakness of public service broadcasting lies precisely in the fact that no one today truly recognizes or legitimizes it as such».
Luisa Giamo, “The Challenge of the Woman Who Opened Schools to All Children”, La Stampa, November 14, 2016.
«La classe degli asini will air on Monday evening on Rai Uno, with Vanessa Incontrada in the leading role. “We were first contacted in 2011 to be interviewed about my mother’s experience with Anffas,” recalls her son, Roberto Casale. “We shared our story, but only later did we discover that a film was going to be made. A screenplay was drafted, which the authors allowed us to read, and my mother made some adjustments. Then, in May 2015, came the meeting with Vanessa Incontrada. We congratulated her, but also offered a small remark. Director Andrea Porporati listened to us – and went on to change the ending”».
Letizia Tortello, “With Riccardo in ‘Classe degli asini’”, La Stampa, November 14, 2016.
«Riccardo Rocco, a 13-year-old middle school student at Gobetti in Rivoli and living with Down syndrome, had a script in hand while acting for television – yet many of his lines he invented on the spot, improvising with his own words. He is one of the non-professional actors in the socially engaged drama directed by Andrea Porporati. […]. Riccardo, who became an actor almost by chance after being contacted through Cepim (the Down Syndrome Center) in Turin at the request of the production team, recalls – on the eve of the broadcast – the sweltering days spent filming in heavy wool costumes, the afternoon naps “in Flavio’s camper,” the long rounds of Uno to pass the time between takes, and that kiss from “Vanessa, right here,” he says with a mischievous smile, pointing to his right cheek. “The film has left a lasting mark on my son’s life,” notes his father. “The seriousness of the project, but also the warm and welcoming atmosphere that developed, helped him to open up and communicate more naturally with the outside world.” Director Porporati also confirms the sense of enchantment created among both professional and non-professional actors: “Everything felt very natural and enjoyable, in a Turin that I remember as oppressively hot. Riccardo played his role, but he also did more – he brought a sparkle beyond the page. He would swallow the scripted lines and give back something that went well beyond the text”».
Andrea Fagioli, “‘La classe degli asini’. Values and Stereotypes”, L’Avvenire, November 16, 2016.
«The intentions are undoubtedly positive – very much in line with the mission of public broadcasting – delivering a strong message of inclusion, with moving moments, but also many stereotypes. Starring Vanessa Incontrada and Flavio Insinna under the direction of Andrea Porporati, La classe degli asini revisits the struggles of a middle school teacher with a gravely ill daughter, drawing a sharp line between the “good” and the “bad.” On one side, we find the protagonist, Mirella (a devoted mother and attentive teacher), along with Felice, the idealistic, combative professor who wants to turn the world upside down, played by an Insinna slightly over the top. On the other side stand the narrow-minded headmaster and the cruel boarding-school educator – characters painted with broad strokes – set against the backdrop of working-class Turin, marked by heavy immigration from the South, factories, popular neighborhoods, and social unrest. Everything is a bit oversimplified. Yet perhaps this is the only way to reach a mainstream audience eager for straightforward, uplifting messages, for characters who fight good battles and in whom they can see themselves reflected. The ratings vindicated Rai Uno’s choice (including the decision to air the film in a single evening), with more than 5.7 million viewers and a 22 percent share, despite stiff competition from the Pechino Express finale and a Grande Fratello VIP special. A promising sign».
Caterina Giangrasso, “‘La classe degli asini’: Review of the TV Movie Starring Vanessa Incontrada and Flavio Insinna”, Cinematographe.it, November 15, 2016.
«La classe degli asini is a work that, far from adhering to purely cinematic conventions, remains measured in tone and consistent with what Rai – through its flagship channel – seeks to achieve even in its fictional narratives, those so often misunderstood dramas that are, in fact, an expression of public service. To tell a story of civic commitment such as that of Mirella Casale – a story that led to the abolition of segregated classrooms – means telling a story of our Italy itself, while also paying due tribute to individual merit».