Hitchcock is the inspiration here, mainly Rear Window's voyeurism and Vertigo's dark examination of identity and desire. But this isn't a just case of knowing references; it's a superb, complex story told with confidence and snaky wit. The message is that we should never be content to merely survive or to dream of a better world. We should live! Ozpetek crafts the film powerfully, with real emotional resonance in the characters and layers of meaning in the imagery. The intricate shifts between flashbacks and parallel scenes are effortlessly inventive, and the film builds serious levels of suspense and drama without ever resorting to standard movie trickery. Ozpetek also isn't afraid to play with the structure of the film's central mystery and romantic storylines, climaxing them when we least expect it, then delivering the pay-off scenes in completely fresh ways. Through all this the cast play it with real authenticity--earthy and funny, passionate and perplexed. Even the side characters are sharply written and played. These are people we can identify with, especially Giovanna's self-doubt and the tempting options in front of her. This is virtuoso filmmaking truly worthy of comparison to the Master of Suspense.