La califfa (English: Lady Caliph) is a 1970 Franco-Italian social drama film written and directed by Alberto Bevilacqua. It was entered into the 1971 Cannes Film Festival.

Plot

In the Emilia province of Italy, out of solidarity with the workers fired from another failed company, the workers occupy the factory of self-made industrialist Annibale Doberdò. In dealing with the situation, he starts negotiations. An employee, the beautiful and fiery Irene, nicknamed Califfa, whose worker-husband was killed during a demonstration, meets with Doberdò. He wants to induce the strikers back to work and they show uncertainty between the directives of their union and the incitements to violence by extremists. Irene becomes Doberdò's lover and asks the workers to listen to the industrialist's proposals for renewal of working terms and worker participation in the factory management. The riots, however, continue. The industrialist's stance is badly received by other employers. While he returns from yet another meeting with his lover, Doberdò is killed by assassins.

Cast

Music

The film's music was composed by Ennio Morricone.