No one wants to have their virility questioned. But when you’re trapped in a loveless marriage, dominated by your nonagenarian mother and generally spending your early 60s moping while everyone around you makes time with their May-September squeezes, some questions are just unavoidable.

Such is the circumstance for Gianna (writer-director Gianni Di Gregorio, MID-AUGUST LUNCH), an Italian househusband who is being pressured by his friends into searching for a mistress to reignite his passions. That’s easier said than done – while Gianna finds himself surrounded by beautiful women, his hangdog expression and generally fumbling demeanour isn’t exactly catnip for his romantic targets. Nevertheless, he’s determined to pursue la dolce vita.

Blending a dash of Fellini and a dollop of Woody Allen with his own well-worn sensibility, Di Gregorio captures a sense of melancholy in the midst of the romantic comedy. Beautifully shot in Rome’s character-rich residential areas, SALT OF LIFE might be a criticism of the Lothario lifestyle epitomized by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, but more importantly, it’s a bittersweet comedy for anyone searching for a little affection.