Antonio & Rosa

Antonio Manzi, a lieutenant in the Guardia di Finanza, moves with the brisk efficiency of a man accustomed to command. His tall, athletic frame barely contains a restless energy, his dark features sharpened by years spent pursuing financial criminals.

 

His high-pitched voice, often delivering staccato bursts of clipped sentences, belies the surprising warmth that occasionally surfaces in a boisterous laugh or an unexpectedly animated gesture.  He is a man of contradictions, a Florentine at heart despite his national service, drawn to the meticulous details of his work yet yearning for the simple comforts of home.  He carries the weight of responsibility with a quiet intensity, his mind constantly strategizing, piecing together fragments of information, always alert for the next challenge, the next pursuit.

​

Rosa Bianchi, Antonio's wife, exudes a grounded warmth that anchors him to the everyday joys of life.  Employed at the gelateria on the main street of Castiglione del Lago, she possesses a quiet strength and an intuitive understanding of the world around her.  She greets customers with a genuine smile, her hands deftly scooping colorful mounds of gelato, each flavor a testament to the simple pleasures she cherishes.  

 

She admires Leonardo, seeing in him the kind of balance she wishes Antonio could achieve. She dreams of a life less defined by urgency, a life where laughter and shared moments take precedence over the relentless demands of duty.  While she supports Antonio's dedication, she also harbors a quiet concern, a silent hope that he will one day find a way to reconcile the conflicting demands of his career with the simple beauty of their life together.