What Is Still Time About?
The premise of Still Time in 307 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a world where the calendar seems to sprint ahead while the heart struggles to keep pace, Dante finds himself teetering on the edge of a bewildering gap in his own life. An impulsive New Year’s kiss with a stranger sets off a chain of events that blurs the line between accident and destiny, and when he awakens a year later, the ordinary details of his home have shifted in subtle, unsettling ways. The film opens with a quiet, almost palpable sense of disorientation, inviting the audience to share his bewilderment as he confronts a reality that feels both familiar and oddly displaced.
At the center of this disquiet is Alice, a vibrant painter whose unexpected presence has reshaped Dante’s routine and aspirations. Their connection crackles with a blend of creative energy and unspoken fragility, reflecting a modern romance that balances affection with the pressures of demanding careers and family obligations. The tone drifts between warm, intimate moments and an undercurrent of urgency, echoing the way a ticking clock can amplify even the simplest gestures.
As Dante pieces together the missing months, the film gently foregrounds themes of memory, mortality, and the inexorable march of time. A looming sense of loss—both personal and generational—permeates the narrative, prompting him to question how much of his past can truly be reclaimed and what it means to live fully in the present. The story’s visual palette—soft lighting, muted cityscapes, and intimate domestic spaces—reinforces a contemplative mood, drawing viewers into a reflective meditation on how we measure a life worth living.
Ultimately, Still Time asks whether the frantic rush to achieve can coexist with the desire to savor fleeting moments. Dante’s journey becomes a quiet exploration of how love, art, and the simple act of noticing can anchor a person when the hands of the clock seem determined to slip away.
What Happens in Still Time?
The complete story of Still Time, from the first scene to the last, in 842 words (about 4 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 6 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Dante, Edoardo Leo abruptly and passionately kisses the stranger Alice, Barbara Ronchi on New Year’s Eve, mistaking her for his date Federica Valentina Pastore. This reckless moment begins an unlikely pair-bond: Alice moves in with Dante, and she’s a gifted painter while he’s overwhelmed by work. Their life at home is a mix of creative energy and exhausting schedules, and their circle of friends helps stitch together a plan for Dante’s fortieth birthday in October 2010 at their place. He’s chronically late—caught between deadlines at the office and ailing responsibilities toward his dementia-stricken father—while the party unfolds around him. At the gathering, Dante’s lifelong friend Valerio Mario Sgueglia presents tickets to ride a roller coaster they always dreamed of, a symbolic gesture of the moments they never seem to have. Dante hopes to ignore the looming future as he blows out the candles, but the celebration ends abruptly when he makes a wish that his world won’t change.
Dante wakes with a shock: Alice is vomiting in the bathroom, and he misreads the scene as a night of binge drinking. Soon he learns she’s pregnant, in her 21st week, and she invites him to feel the baby kick. The news unsettles him further as he notices the furniture has shifted, and his sense of reality starts to tilt. He decides to push work off, planning to handle this new chapter later, while Alice steels herself and prepares his 41st birthday pancake. The next morning, he suspects it was all a dream when Alice appears thin again, but the sound of a crying baby breaks the illusion. Alice asks him to cradle their daughter, and he hesitates—unsettled by the idea of fatherhood, yet forced to step forward. His doctor confirms he’s healthy, though work stress might be a contributing factor. The baby’s name, Galadriel, comes as a surprise, and Dante wrestles with this unexpected future while Alice asks him to care for their fragile infant.
As days turn into a blur, Dante discovers that every day is a leap into the next year’s birthday. He misses Galadriel’s first words and steps, and his friend Valerio is skeptical of his tale about time jumps. The pressure to quit his job collides with a new ambition: Dante eventually becomes the boss eight months later. The balance between love, parenthood, and ambition fractures their relationship. Therapy sessions are a distant memory as Dante realizes he’s never truly present, his life consumed by a relentless clock. A seven-month detour of reality follows: Dante travels to another year, returning to a home where his priorities teeter on the edge of collapse.
The timeline grows messier when Dante confronts the consequences of his choices. Returning to an empty house, he is drawn into a six-month affair with his secretary, Francesca Francesca Cavallin. The moment Alice arrives, Dante urges Francesca to hide, and the emotional tension erupts into a charged confrontation about love and fidelity. Francesca expresses longing, they exchange a tense kiss, and Alice ultimately realizes Dante isn’t alone. She leaves, and Francesca agrees to end things, but the moral weight lingers as the days blur together.
By the time Dante is 46, the party atmosphere returns, and Francesca guides a backyard celebration where he tells Valerio that his old wish—more time—has yielded the opposite. He goes to Alice’s door, but she closes it, signaling a decisive edge to their relationship. In a moment of desperation, Dante faces Omar, Raz Degan, Alice’s partner, and the drama shifts to the park where Galadriel and the family’s puppy accompany a reflective walk. Omar suggests living in the present, a philosophy Dante initially rejects but gradually begins to consider. The dog’s ball flies, and another year rolls past.
In the park, Dante learns Valerio is battling cancer, a sobering reminder of mortality, and he resolves to call him tomorrow. He combs through mementos, glimpses Alice’s art exhibition, and visits his father, recognizing that neglect has also touched his own family. By the time Dante reaches 49, he admits that he has become as forgetful of his loved ones as his father once was. He fetches water for his father, only to find him gone, and Valerio waits outside in remission, a sign that life can still bend toward hope.
Dante borrows Valerio’s car, demands a generous stretch of vacation days, adds a puppy to the household, and reunites with Alice and Galadriel at home. In the present moment, he longs to simply be together, to do nothing special and to savor the now, an echo of something Galadriel and Omar had both once suggested. They spend a day playing, ordinary and perfect in its simplicity. Dante reads a book illustrated by Alice to put Galadriel to sleep, and the family settles into a quiet, shared nap. When he wakes, it feels like another year has passed, but the kitchen reveals a belated birthday pancake that finally marks tomorrow. With a renewed vow, Dante promises that work will never come before his family again, choosing to live in the moments that truly matter.
Still Time Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
15 key events in the order they happen, from “Mistaken New Year’s Eve kiss” to “Belated pancake and vow to live in the now”. 15 events name a place, across 13 locations.
- 1
Mistaken New Year’s Eve kiss
Dante abruptly kisses a stranger, Alice, thinking she’s his date Fede because they’re dressed identically. Fede slaps him and leaves, leaving Dante stunned. The kiss triggers an unexpected romance that soon pulls them together.
When:New Year’s Eve Where:New Year's Eve location (unspecified)
- 2
Dante and Alice move in together
Dante and Alice become involved and move in together at their shared home. Alice is an artistic painter, while Dante is consumed with work, creating a dynamic where she balances creativity with his career. This marks the start of a life built around their relationship.
When:shortly after New Year's Eve Where:Dante and Alice's home
- 3
October 2010: Dante’s fortieth birthday party
Friends gather for Dante’s fortieth at their place. He’s very late due to work and visiting his dementia-stricken father. Valerio gives him roller coaster tickets they had always dreamed of, a bittersweet gift given his preoccupation with work.
When:October 2010 Where:Dante and Alice’s home
- 4
Dante blows out the candles
Dante makes a birthday wish and the party abruptly ends, leaving a sense of unfinished moments. The night underscores his commitment to work over life’s personal milestones. The moment foreshadows the upcoming whirlwind of time travel.
When:October 2010 Where:Dante and Alice’s home
- 5
Morning reveal: pregnancy
Dante wakes to Alice vomiting, mistakenly thinking she binge-drank. She reveals she’s pregnant and in her 21st week, inviting him to feel the baby kick. The scene shifts their priorities dramatically.
When:the morning after Dante’s 40th birthday party Where:Home bathroom
- 6
41st birthday pancake and work focus
Alice prepares Dante’s 41st birthday pancake while he contemplates going in to work later. He’s overwhelmed by the balance of impending fatherhood and rising work pressures. This moment cements the strain between his professional ambitions and family life.
When:Around his 41st birthday (early 2011) Where:Home
- 7
Time jump: awakening at 43
Dante wakes with a moustache and the number 43 on his hands, realizing he has jumped to the next year’s birthday. From here, he learns that every day he wakes up is the birthday of the next year. The pattern compounds as life continues to accelerate forward.
When:on his 43rd birthday Where:Home
- 8
Missed milestones and disbelief
Dante discovers he’s missed Galadriel’s first words and steps due to the time jumps. He tells his lifelong friend Valerio about the time travel, but Valerio doesn’t believe him. The strain deepens as personal milestones slip away.
When:after the first jump Where:Home; conversation with Valerio
- 9
Becoming boss and eight months later
In an attempt to escape the drag of work, Dante plans to quit but jumps again and finds himself now the boss. Eight months pass in what becomes his new reality, leaving him with less time for his family.
When:Eight months after the first jump Where:Workplace
- 10
Therapy reminder and the affair
Alice reminds him of their couples’ therapy session, and Dante realizes he’s never home due to work. He uncovers a six-month affair with his secretary Francesca, a discovery that fractures trust and tests their relationship.
When:Six months after becoming boss Where:Home and office
Show the other 5 events of Still Time Hide the last 5 events
- 11
Backyard party, confession, and the now
Now aged 46, Dante finds Francesca at a backyard party with cocktails. He sends away most guests, telling Valerio that his wish six years ago—to have more time—has not been granted. The scene marks a turning point as he confronts the reality of his choices.
When:Age 46 Where:Backyard party at Dante’s home
- 12
Alice moves on; Omar and the park moment
Dante goes to Alice’s place; she closes the door, needing to move on. He confronts Omar, Alice’s partner, who suggests living in the present. A dog and a park trip follow as time continues to slip forward into another year.
When:Age 47 Where:Alice’s home; park
- 13
Valerio’s cancer and a late-night promise
In the park scene, Valerio is revealed to be battling cancer, prompting Dante to promise to call him tomorrow. He surveys mementos, attends Alice’s exhibition, and visits his dementia-stricken father, realizing how neglectful he’s become.
When:Age 46-47 Where:Park and family home
- 14
49 and a father’s death; a moment of clarity
Dante reaches age 49 and returns to find his father has passed away. Valerio awaits him outside, now in remission from cancer. He borrows Valerio’s car, demands vacation days, and a new puppy; he seeks to rejoin Alice and Galadriel at home.
When:Age 49 Where:Father’s nursing home; home
- 15
Belated pancake and vow to live in the now
Dante wakes to find he may have jumped forward again, and sees his loved ones preparing a belated birthday pancake for him. He resolves never to let work come before his family again and vows to live in the now, cherishing Galadriel and Alice.
When:The day after the final jump (the next year) Where:Kitchen at home
Who Are the Main Characters in Still Time?
6 characters, among them Dante (Edoardo Leo), Alice (Barbara Ronchi) and Valerio (Mario Sgueglia): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Dante (Edoardo Leo)
Played by Edoardo Leo
An ambitious, work-obsessed man who uses his career to fill a void in his personal life. The time jumps reveal how his absence affects Alice and their daughter, pushing him toward self-reflection. He evolves from prioritizing work to prioritizing presence and family, learning that time spent together matters more than time saved.
- 🏢 Career
- ⏳ Time management
- 💔 Relationships
-
Alice (Barbara Ronchi)
Played by Barbara Ronchi
An artistic painter who brings warmth and creativity to the relationship. She feels the sting of Dante’s absence as their life unfolds and faces the strain of pregnancy and changing partnership. Her journey tests the couple’s bond and ends up guiding Dante to reassess what truly matters.
- 🎨 Art
- 💞 Relationship
- 👶 Family
- V(
Valerio (Mario Sgueglia)
Played by Mario Sgueglia
Dante’s lifelong friend who anchors moments of hope and memory. He remains grounded even as he faces illness, and his presence highlights the value of friendship amid life’s upheavals. His role provides a counterpoint to Dante’s overwork and eventual reckoning.
- 👫 Friendship
- 🎗 Resilience
-
Omar (Raz Degan)
Played by Raz Degan
Alice’s partner who embodies calm presence and practicality. He challenges Dante to live in the present and to honor the family circle. Through his interactions with Galadriel, Omar helps ground the story in the now and in care for loved ones.
- 💖 Love
- 🧭 Presence
- G(
Galadriel (Stella Trotta)
Played by Stella Trotta
The couple’s daughter, a living symbol of new life who intensifies the stakes of time and presence. Her growth anchors the narrative in family joy and vulnerability, reminding Dante of what truly matters as the years unfold.
- 👶 Baby
- ✨ Innocence
-
Francesca (Francesca Cavallin)
Played by Francesca Cavallin
Dante’s secretary who becomes entangled in a six-month affair. Her presence exposes Dante’s fallibility beyond his career and adds complexity to the couple’s reconciliation. Her choices highlight the cost of neglect and the fragility of trust within a relationship.
- 💋 Affair
- 🏢 Office
Where and When Is Still Time Set?
Still Time is set in Dante and Alice's home, City Park, Nursing home terrace (2010s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
2010s
The film centers around New Year’s Eve and Dante’s 40th birthday in October 2010, with time leaps propelling him into each following year’s birthday. The days and years blur as he wakes up in the next year after making a wish, compressing a lifetime of choices into a sequence of moments. This non-linear progression reframes time from a straight line into a resource to be managed and seized. The story uses these jumps to explore the consequences of his work obsession on family and health.
Where
Dante and Alice's home, City Park, Nursing home terrace
Most of the story unfolds inside Dante and Alice's urban apartment, which acts as the intimate hub for their evolving relationship. The city park appears as a backdrop for moments of longing, hope, and confrontation. A nursing home terrace scenes anchor the narrative in a broader sense of aging and care, highlighting the generational stakes of time.
- 🏠 Domestic
- 🌳 Park
- 🏥 Nursing home
What Are the Themes of Still Time?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Time, Family and Memory.
-
01
Time
Time is reimagined as a malleable force that forces choices between career and family. The birthday-time leaps reveal how actions in the present ripple across future years. The narrative invites reflection on what really matters when years can pass in a single moment. Ultimately, the film suggests that being present is more valuable than any achievement.
-
02
Family
The story tracks the strain and renewal of family bonds under the pressure of ambition and absence. Dante’s neglect creates distance with Alice and Galadriel, while Valerio’s friendship and Omar’s steadiness pull the family back toward connection. The time jumps serve as a catalyst for reconciliation, forgiveness, and the redefinition of what a family means. Love and responsibility compete with career, shaping the couple’s decisions across years.
-
03
Memory
Memory and aging thread through the narrative as Dante’s father battles dementia, reminding him of mortality and the fragility of presence. The repeated leaps force him to confront what he forgets and what he forgets to value in the moment. The film uses memory as both a burden and a compass, guiding choices about who to protect and how to live now. Ultimately, memory becomes a measure of what remains meaningful when time moves forward.
What Kind of Film Is Still Time?
Bittersweet in tone, with variable pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Bittersweet
- Pacing
- Variable
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Happy
A poignant and reflective dramedy that evokes anxiety and melancholy as it explores the terror of time slipping away, ultimately finding a hopeful, quiet resolution in learning to cherish small moments.
- melancholic
- reflective
- anxious
- nostalgic
- hopeful
- regretful
- time passing
- work-life balance
- fatherhood
- midlife crisis
Content notes: dementia, infidelity, terminal illness (cancer).
Quiz
How well do you remember Still Time? Test yourself on the story.
