Scola embarks on a portrait of his city which, like Fellini’s ROMA, looks a lot like self-portraiture. However, the focus, unlike Fellini’s, is not on uncovering catacombs and brothels but on evaluating the denizens themselves in relation to Rome’s history and politics. Scola stresses the city’s increasingly multi-racial character and the problems affecting its citizens of all ages, without skimping on views of city squares and monuments.