There's Still Tomorrow - Characters & Cast

Her primary motivation is to ensure her daughter, Marcella, has a better life and does not end up in an abusive marriage like her own. This maternal drive fuels her to sabotage Marcella's engagement and, ultimately, to exercise her right to vote as an investment in a more equitable future for the next generation of women.

Delia begins as a seemingly resigned and submissive housewife, enduring daily abuse while caring for her family. Her arc is one of quiet, internal transformation. The arrival of her voter registration card, coupled with the fear that her daughter will suffer the same fate, ignites her dormant courage. She moves from a state of passive endurance to active resistance, not by physically leaving her situation, but by securing her daughter's future and claiming her own political voice, ending the film as an empowered woman who understands her own worth and power.

Ivano is motivated by a deep-seated need for control and a belief in his own superiority as the male head of the household. His actions are driven by patriarchal norms that grant him power over his wife and family. He also has financial motivations, as seen when he approves of Marcella's marriage for the economic stability it will bring him.

Ivano is a static character who embodies the oppressive patriarchal authority of the era. He is the undisputed master of the family, controlling, violent, and dismissive of his wife. He experiences no significant change or development; his role is to represent the systemic misogyny that Delia must overcome. He remains a symbol of the old world order, diminished and confused by Delia's final act of defiance at the polling station.

Initially, Marcella is motivated by a desire to escape her grim home life and achieve a higher social status through marriage. She wants a life different from her mother's but fails to see she is walking the same path. Her motivation shifts to supporting her mother once she grasps the true meaning of Delia's fight.

Marcella starts the film ashamed of her mother's submissiveness and eager to escape her family through marriage. She is initially blind to the controlling nature of her own fiancé. Her arc involves a painful but necessary disillusionment. After her engagement is broken, she is devastated, but by the end of the film, she understands her mother's actions. She becomes her mother's ally, handing her the lost voter card and sharing a smile of mutual understanding and solidarity.

Marisa is motivated by her loyalty and affection for Delia. She wants to see her friend happy and free from abuse, consistently providing blunt but well-intentioned advice.

Marisa is Delia's witty and pragmatic friend, a greengrocer who provides comic relief and emotional support. As a static character, her role is to be a constant source of encouragement for Delia, urging her to leave Ivano and offering a sympathetic ear. She represents female friendship and solidarity in a world that isolates women.