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larity and cultural relevance over time. In one form or another, these genres have not only remained nationally relevant, but have also been accepted and well received outside of the domestic market. In the case of the tragicomedy, this is predominantly due to the hybridisation of ‘a humorous performance with a dramatic and sentimental plot’ (p. 529). Thus, domestic and international success continues to rely on the ability to identify the ‘real’ and subsequently relate to it. Though not identical, Italian genres continue to enlist the same basic formula of ‘realist and poetic threads [to] demonstrate the medium’s capacity to tackle extremely complex issues in a meaningful and moving manner’ (p. 617). Contemporarily, such ‘complex issues’ include matters of gender and immigration politics. Though the concluding chapter highlights various female directors such as Francesca Archibugi and Alice Rohrwacher, little space is devoted to the historical trajectory of female filmmakers throughout the industrial field. The same may be said for immigrant filmmakers, though their minimal literary presence may coincide with the fact that foreign-born Italian directors are just now ‘starting to become naturalised in the Italian film scene and critical canon’ (p. 620). Nevertheless, particularly because a focus on these issues is specifically undertaken by the second edition, both subjects could stand for further development and critical engagement. By reconfiguring and expanding upon Bondanella’s original work, both authors have ensured that A History of Italian Cinema remains relevant and necessary as Italy’s cinemascape continues to evolve. It is, therefore, a piece of scholarship akin to that which it describes, adapting to waves of the present while grasping to the roots of its past.