The Load

The Load (Il fagotto, 2019), directed by Giulia Giapponesi, is a tense Italian dystopian short that imagines a society where motherhood has become a civic duty.

In a near-future Italy struggling with severe depopulation, the government begins placing pressure on women who do not contribute to the nation’s birth rate. The story follows one woman living under this silent but powerful social control.

Blending quiet drama with chilling political undertones, the film explores how ordinary systems can enforce extraordinary demands on personal freedom. With its stark tone and unsettling premise, The Load feels like a brief episode of Black Mirror.