Valeria is an inhibited and solitary girl. She lives in Turin, where she works as a simultaneous translator. There are no romantic relationships in her life, but she allows herself one almost ritualistic attachment: that of observing Massimo, a man who lives in the apartment across the street.

A captivating debut from Italian filmmaker Paolo Franchi, this unnerving tale of voyeuristic obsession crackles with tension. With a set-up that recalls Hitchcock’s Rear Window, and with a tremendous lead in Barbora Bobulova, The Spectator is an engrossing examination of loneliness and desire.