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Edexcel A2 - Research based essay!

Hey

I'm currently studying a-level Italian on the Edexcel specification (unfortunately, but it's the only board that offers it!!) and I was wondering whether anyone could give me some advice about the research based essay question on the writing paper. Specifically for literature & the arts, but anything would be fabulous if you have any tips!

The advice that I've got about the exam has been quite ambiguous in terms of the 'reading and research' part of the mark scheme and when I looked on the Edexcel's website they seem content with only releasing sample essays that have received quite poor marks.

My research is on the Italian film "La vita e' bella" (life is beautiful), which I guess is partly why I'm confused about the essay. For this topic how am I meant to show reading and research apart from quoting the film? I have read a critical guide to the film which included commentary by Benigni (the director), so would something like this be evidence of reading and research?
For example, if I were to talk about the interesting aspect of the portrayal of a concentration camp would my essay be improved if I were to quote that Benigni intended to show that the family of the protagonist "were taken and put into the most horrible inferno of all time".

Or alternatively for the literature section does your analysis of key scenes quoted gain you marks in that part of the mark scheme?

Thanks for any help at all that you could offer! I kind of wish that I'd chosen a geographical or historical topic because it seems as if reading and research would be so much more explicit.