At the center of the story of the film If Tomorrow I Don't Come Back is the Cecchettin family, made up of the father Gino and his three children: Elena, Giulia and Davide. After the death of his wife Monica, Gino dedicated his energies to raising the children, trying to maintain a family balance while everyone builds their own future. Elena studies abroad, Davide attends high school and Giulia is close to graduating in biomedical engineering.
Everyday life breaks down on November 11, 2023, when Giulia disappears. The young woman does not return home and her absence, initially inexplicable, leaves room for growing concern. The research involves the community of Vigonovo, in Veneto, while the story quickly acquires a national dimension.
The relationship with her ex-boyfriend, from whom Giulia had recently separated, becomes a central element in the reconstruction of events. The story thus follows the drama of a family forced to face an unthinkable reality and a pain destined to change their lives forever.
The film does not limit itself to telling the story of the disappearance and the murder, but also focuses on the consequences of the tragedy and Gino Cecchettin's choice to transform the private experience into a public commitment. The story thus takes on a collective dimension: Giulia's memory becomes a starting point for reflecting on the prevention of gender violence and the need to intervene before other similar stories repeat themselves.
Paola Randi directs the film If Tomorrow I Don't Return and signs the screenplay together with Lisa Nur Sultan. The project is inspired by Cara Giulia. What I learned from my daughter, the book in which Gino Cecchettin, with the collaboration of the writer Marco Franzoso, reflects on his daughter and the path that led him to publicly commit himself against violence against women.
The production is entrusted to Notorious Pictures, with Guglielmo Marchetti and Daniele Mazzocca as producers and Mario Mazzarotto in the role of executive producer. The photography is by Guido Michelotti, the editing by Andrea Maguolo and the music by Michele Braga. Sergio Tribastone takes care of the scenography, while the costumes are designed by Daniela Ciancio.
Filming took place entirely in Veneto, for six weeks, between the provinces of Padua, Venice and Rovigo. A choice that links the work to the places where the real story took place.
If Tomorrow I Don't Come Back was premiered on 23 October 2026 as part of the Rome Film Festival and Alice nella Città. The film was also the protagonist of a special event at the Giffoni Film Festival, which took place in July 2026.
Distribution in Italian cinemas is entrusted to Notorious Pictures, with release set for November 5th. Three years after the death of Giulia Cecchettin, the film brings back to the center of attention a story that shook public opinion, choosing to tell it through the story of a family and the path by which mourning was transformed into a call for change.
