Oltre la Pelle.

*Beyond the Skin* is told through the voice of a woman: a conscience that gradually awakens to the reality of the violence and discrimination still endured everywhere today. The narrative begins with a plastic surgeon from Udine, whose trip to Pakistan to operate on victims of acid attacks becomes the starting point for an in-depth investigation that will continue here in Italy. Through his account, the surgeon recounts his mission to restore the smiles of women – young women and girls – who have lost everything as a result of brutal violence: their faces, their roles, their dignity. They are women; they are vulnerable; and they are beautiful. Their ‘crime’ is always the same: having dared to say no, refusing a forced marriage. At the heart of the story, three women who have suffered violence share their stories: Nasrin and Iram, two young Pakistani women, and Filomena Lamberti, an Italian woman. All had acid thrown at their backs after refusing such a marriage. The documentary, set in both Italy and Pakistan, weaves together the locations that form the backdrop to the doctor’s mission and the victims’ stories. The doctor, together with journalists, activists, lawyers and psychiatrists, recounts a difficult journey, punctuated by sacrifices and obstacles, but also enriched by unexpected encounters with compassionate people and prominent figures who embrace the cause with great humanity. It is a story of courage and expertise that overcomes adversity, a tale that looks to the future and bears witness to smiles that find a way to return after the depths of suffering.

Supported by the FVG Film Commission, the Italian Ministry – Tax Credit

Under the patronage of Mujeres nel Cinema

The trailer was presented at the Chamber of Deputies in Rome in March 2025