The Raffle (La Riffa), a 1991 Italian film directed by Francesco Laudadio, is an intriguing blend of erotic drama and social satire. At its center is Francesca, a beautiful widow played by Monica Bellucci in her first major film role. Her physical presence dominates the narrative—not only because of Bellucci’s undeniable allure but also because the film deliberately ties her beauty to the themes of gender, autonomy, and commodification.
The story revolves around Francesca’s dire financial situation after her husband’s death. Left in debt, she devises an unorthodox solution: she offers herself in a raffle. The ticket buyers are all men, wealthy and eager, each willing to gamble for a single night with her. This premise places Francesca's beauty—and her womanhood—at the heart of an economic transaction. But rather than being a victim of male desire, Francesca is portrayed as someone reclaiming agency in a deeply patriarchal context. Her decision is transactional, strategic, and above all, self-determined.
Francesca’s femininity is lush and classic, echoing the tradition of sensual Italian cinema, yet it also serves as a critique. The film presents her beauty as a form of currency, powerful and dangerous, yet ultimately shaped by the expectations and limitations placed on women. She is desired, but she is also using that desire to navigate a world in which her options are limited by her gender and class.
Monica Bellucci’s performance amplifies this tension. She brings a stillness and quiet intensity to Francesca, never overplaying the eroticism that the plot invites. Her presence is simultaneously tender and calculated, embodying a character who knows what she represents in the eyes of others, and chooses to control it rather than be controlled by it.
The Raffle walks a fine line between erotic drama and feminist parable, using Francesca’s beauty as both a narrative device and a social commentary. The film avoids moralizing her decision, instead leaving the audience to confront their own assumptions about gender, power, and the value society places on female sexuality.
