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What Is Working Slowly (Radio Alice) About?
The premise of Working Slowly (Radio Alice) in 322 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the summer of 1976 Bologna hums with a restless energy that feels both festive and unsettling. The city’s historic streets pulse to the clandestine frequencies of Radio Alice, a pirate wave that blends fantasy, political dissent, sexual freedom and cultural provocation into a soundtrack for a burgeoning student movement. Police patrols keep a wary eye on the makeshift studio tucked away on via del Pratello, yet the broadcast slips through the cracks of authority, offering a glimpse of a world where imagination and rebellion collide.
On the eastern fringe of the city, two friends in their early twenties drift through the monotony of everyday life. Sgualo spends his evenings nursing cheap drinks in a neighborhood bar, while Pelo shares his restless yearning for something beyond the gray routine of the suburbs. Their occasional entanglements with a local fence named Marangon provide just enough cash to keep them afloat, and when a new, daring proposition arrives—digging an underground tunnel toward the Savings Bank in Piazza Minghetti—they seize the chance, despite the obvious risk.
The pair’s night‑long labor beneath the cobblestones is punctuated by the crackle of a portable radio they bring down into the earth. To their surprise, the signal they catch is none other than Radio Alice, the very voice that has been echoing through Bologna’s cafés and squares. The station’s eclectic mix becomes an uncanny soundtrack to the rhythm of pickaxes, turning a solitary, gritty task into a shared, almost ritualistic experience that hints at a larger, invisible community fighting for its own definition of freedom.
As the tunnel deepens, the boys find themselves drawn into the magnetic pull of the broadcast, feeling the thrum of a movement that exists just out of sight. The city above, with its police patrols, student protests and rooftop vistas, begins to feel less like a distant backdrop and more like a living, breathing entity that may soon intersect with their own hidden aspirations.
What Happens in Working Slowly (Radio Alice)?
The complete story of Working Slowly (Radio Alice), from the first scene to the last, in 440 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 4 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
In 1976, Bologna, Radio Alice stands as the voice of a movement built on fantasy, a refusal of wage labor, sexual freedom, and cultural provocation. The station, tucked away on Via del Pratello, remains under constant police scrutiny, and Lieutenant Valerio Mastandrea Lippolis believes it’s wasted effort to chase what he calls a circle of unrealistic, artistic, and drug-tinged students. Yet this world is foreign not only to law enforcement but also to many young people on the city’s outskirts, who feel the weight of a system that doesn’t seem to hear them.
Two young men, Tommaso Ramenghi as Sgualo and Marco Luisi as Pelo, dream of a way out of the gray, oppressive daily grind. They spend their evenings in a neighborhood bar, and when money runs tight they take on occasional “jobs” for a local fence, Marangon, a figure who embodies the rough edges of their world. Marangon, played by Valerio Binasco, proposes something that goes far beyond petty crime: tunnel into the heart of the city with the goal of cracking the Savings Bank in Piazza Minghetti.
Though the plan is dangerous and far from glamorous, the two men find the nerve to accept the risky undertaking. As they toil through the long, exhausting hours, they bring a radio with them into the tunnel, a beacon in the dark that keeps them moving. Against all odds, they strike upon Radio Alice underground, and the broadcaster’s creative current becomes the soundtrack to their hard labor, a rhythm that shadows every swing of the pickaxe.
One night, battered by a heavy downpour and exhausted from the arduous work, Pelo and Sgualo decide to seek relief at the station and are drawn into the wider world of student activism that Radio Alice represents. What follows is a sequence of events that intertwine their lives with a volatile period of local history, culminating in the dramatic and tragic crescendo sparked by Francesco Lorusso’s death, shot by a carabiniere on 11 March 1977. The ensuing clashes draw the two protagonists deeper into the turmoil: one is arrested, while the other escapes through Bologna’s rooftops, pursued by the police, trying to stay one step ahead in a city that suddenly feels both intimate and dangerous.
Throughout these events, the film paints a vivid portrait of a city at a turning point, where dreams, defiance, and danger collide. The radio’s rebellious spirit, the hunger for escape, and the personal costs of political upheaval are explored with a careful, human lens, inviting viewers to witness how a moment of underground activism can ripple outward into the lives of ordinary people caught between aspiration and consequence.
Working Slowly (Radio Alice) Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Radio Alice under police watch (1976)” to “Radio Alice’s role in the uprising”. 12 events name a place, across 10 locations.
- 1
Radio Alice under police watch (1976)
In 1976 Bologna, Radio Alice sits at Via del Pratello as a beacon for the movement, while the police keep it under control. Lieutenant Lippolis dismisses it as a harmless nuisance, not worth wasting time on. The station embodies a world foreign to law enforcement and to most suburban youths.
When:1976 Where:Bologna (Via del Pratello)
- 2
Sgualo and Pelo dream of escape
Two men in their twenties, Sgualo and Pelo, linger in the Safagna outskirts, hoping for a way out of the gray everyday life. They spend evenings in a neighborhood bar and occasionally do jobs for a local fence, Marangon, to make ends meet. Their shared longing is to break free from the dull cycle of their lives.
When:mid-1970s Where:Safagna, Bologna (eastern outskirts)
- 3
A risky plan: tunnel toward the Savings Bank
Marangon presents a daring proposal: dig a tunnel under the city center to reach the Savings Bank in Piazza Minghetti. The two accept the assignment, despite recognizing the danger and the absurdity of what they’re about to attempt. The plan promises a dramatic escape from their poverty-stricken routine.
When:late 1976 Where:Center of Bologna, Piazza Minghetti
- 4
Night digging with an unlikely soundtrack
The pair begin the underground excavation, exhausted by the long hours of digging. To keep themselves awake, they bring a radio into the tunnel and let the broadcasts guide the mood of their work. The rhythm of the pickaxe synchronizes with the voices crackling from below.
When:during the dig Where:Tunnel beneath Bologna center (Piazza Minghetti area)
- 5
Radio Alice found: the voice of the movement
Against all odds, they stumble upon a radio station deep underground, Radio Alice, whose flow becomes the soundtrack of their labor. The station’s voice introduces them to a larger world beyond their immediate scheme. The discovery injects a new energy into their work and outlook.
When:during the dig Where:Underground tunnel, Bologna
- 6
Rain interrupts the dig; the protagonists seek the surface
A heavy downpour halts the digging, forcing the two back to the surface. They decide to visit the Radio Alice station to seek shelter and perhaps connect with the broader student movement. The rain becomes a turning point that shifts their attention from a bank job to activism.
When:during the downpour night Where:Radio Alice, Via del Pratello, Bologna
- 7
Connection with student activism
Inside Radio Alice, the two are drawn into the world of student activism and its passionate energy. The broadcaster’s creative fault lines amplify the movement’s momentum and appeal. They glimpse a path beyond crime that resonates with the city’s youth.
When:that night Where:Radio Alice, Bologna
- 8
Francesco Lorusso is killed
On 11 March 1977, Francesco Lorusso is shot by a carabiniere, triggering a wave of violent clashes throughout Bologna. The city becomes engulfed in confrontation between protesters and authorities. This event marks a decisive moment that pulls the protagonists deeper into the turmoil.
When:11 March 1977 Where:Bologna
- 9
Clashes pull the protagonists in
The ensuing clashes draw the two men into the street battles between students and police. The intensity of the confrontation tests their loyalties and their nerve. The environment shifts from private schemes to public crisis.
When:11 March 1977 Where:Bologna streets
- 10
Arrest and rooftop escape
One of the two is seized by the authorities amid the chaos, while the other escapes by running across the rooftops to evade capture. The city’s vertigo of fear and defiance frames their separate fates. The rooftop chase becomes a symbol of the period’s desperation.
When:11 March 1977 Where:Bologna rooftops
- 11
Police pursuit widens across the city
As the arrests multiply and the fugitive spirals through the streets, the crackdown intensifies. The authorities tighten their grip on Bologna, determined to restore order after the lethal incident. The city endures a period of heightened tension and uncertainty.
When:11-12 March 1977 Where:Bologna
- 12
Radio Alice’s role in the uprising
Throughout these events, Radio Alice stands as the movement’s voice and catalyst. The film depicts how the station’s broadcasts echo through the city’s upheaval and influence the participants’ choices. The station’s presence encapsulates the era’s blend of culture, protest, and risk.
When:1977 Where:Bologna
Who Are the Main Characters in Working Slowly (Radio Alice)?
6 characters, among them Sgualo (Tommaso Ramenghi), Pelo (Marco Luisi) and Marangon (Valerio Binasco): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- S(
Sgualo (Tommaso Ramenghi)
Played by Tommaso Ramenghi
A twenty-something from the eastern suburbs who dreams of escaping the gray, oppressive daily life. He partners with Pelo to pull off a high-stakes plan, and his cautious, introspective nature clashes with the riskier impulse to act. His connection to Radio Alice grows as the nights unfold, revealing a desire for meaning beyond work and poverty.
- 🧭 Ambitious
- 🕊️ Discontent
- 🗝️ Risk-taker
- P(
Pelo (Marco Luisi)
Played by Marco Luisi
Sgualo’s friend and fellow dreamer who craves escape from the monotony of their world. He is drawn to the thrill of the plan and the idea of changing their fate, sometimes acting impulsively. Pelo’s loyalty to Sgualo is tested as danger mounts and choices become matters of life and death.
- 🎯 Impulsive
- 🧭 Loyal
- 💥 Risk-prone
- M(
Marangon (Valerio Binasco)
Played by Valerio Binasco
A local fence who offers the risky job that evolves into something larger. He embodies opportunism and a willingness to push others into dangerous schemes for profit. His presence foreshadows the moral ambiguity and peril surrounding the youths’ decisions.
- 🕳️ Opportunistic
- 🗡️ Calculating
- 💰 Streetwise
- TL
Tenente Lippolis (Valerio Mastandrea)
Played by Valerio Mastandrea
A police lieutenant who sees the movement as a nuisance of idealists rather than a legitimate threat. He is skeptical of the students’ seriousness, yet his role highlights the state's heavy-handed response to unrest. His pursuit complicates the protagonists’ plans and intensifies the clash between law enforcement and activism.
- 🧑✈️ Authority
- 🛡️ Enforcement
- ⚖️ Skeptical
- PS
Padre Sgualo (Tommaso Ramenghi)
Played by Tommaso Ramenghi
A priest figure connected to Sgualo, offering a moral or existential counterpoint to the youths’ rebellion. He represents a traditional, guiding voice amid upheaval, underscoring themes of conscience and community. His presence adds a layer of spiritual tension to the unfolding events.
- 🙏 Guidance
- 🕊️ Spiritual
- 🧭 Reflective
- RN
Ragazza nel Parco (Elena Ravaioli)
Played by Elena Ravaioli
A girl encountered by the young protagonists in a park, emblematic of youth and possibility. Her brief interactions reflect the audacity and vulnerability of the era’s new generation. She stands as a narrative touchstone for what the protagonists risk everything to protect or seize.
- 🌸 Youth
- 🎭 Symbolism
- 🌀 Moment
Where and When Is Working Slowly (Radio Alice) Set?
Working Slowly (Radio Alice) is set in Bologna, Radio Alice, Piazza Minghetti and Via del Pratello (1976-1977). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1976-1977
The story unfolds in the mid-to-late 1970s Bologna, a period marked by student activism, clandestine radio networks, and street clashes. The protagonists move from a stagnant daily life toward a high-stakes plan that culminates in a city-wide upheaval. The death of Francesco Lorusso in March 1977 becomes a turning point that heightens the conflict between police and militants.
Where
Bologna, Radio Alice, Piazza Minghetti, Via del Pratello
Bologna, a historic university city in northern Italy, becomes a hotbed of political protest in the late 1970s. Radio Alice sits on Via del Pratello as a countercultural beacon, while Piazza Minghetti becomes the planned stage for a daring heist. The city’s everyday grayness clashes with the vibrant, rebellious energy of its students and workers, all under a watchful police presence.
- 🏙️ Bologna
- 🎭 Subculture hub
- 🕰️ 1970s unrest
What Are the Themes of Working Slowly (Radio Alice)?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Radio & Protest, Escape & Risk and Conflict & Consequences.
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01
Radio & Protest
Radio Alice functions as a loud, unfiltered voice for the movement, shaping the mood and rhythm of the protagonists’ night-time ambitions. The broadcasts blur the line between art, politics, and daily rebellion, giving voice to a generation disillusioned with wage labor. The film suggests that media power can fuel collective action as much as it records it.
-
02
Escape & Risk
Sgualo and Pelo seek an exit from the gray, oppressive routine of their surroundings. Their tunnel scheme symbolizes a desperate bid for financial and personal freedom, pushing them toward dangerous, life-altering choices. The plan tests trust, courage, and the limits of friendship under pressure.
-
03
Conflict & Consequences
The tension between the police and the radicalized youth escalates from suspicion to open confrontation. The death of a prominent figure acts as a catalyst, turning personal ambitions into a broader societal crisis. The film examines how violence, authority, and ideology intersect in a city on the edge.
What Kind of Film Is Working Slowly (Radio Alice)?
Tense in tone, with variable pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Variable
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A tense and melancholic journey through a gritty Italian cityscape, where the rebellious energy of a pirate radio station contrasts with the oppressive reality of political turmoil and personal consequence.
- rebellious
- oppressive
- anxious
- dreamlike
- claustrophobic
- melancholic
- political upheaval
- coming of age
- crime and punishment
- youth disillusionment
Content notes: police brutality, political violence, death.
Quiz
How well do you remember Working Slowly (Radio Alice)? Test yourself on the story.
