Alice Rohrwacher's second feature film is a semi biographical account of growing up in rural Tuscany told mainly through the eyes of a family's eldest child. It's simple in its set up; dreamlike in delivery; and transcendental in its beauty.
We meet Gelsomina. A 12 year old girl just getting to grips with life as she helps around on the family farm. The film focuses on, although not exclusively, her relationship with her father, her mother and her eldest sister. She has no brothers and so her hermetic father Wolfgang is determined to see her take over the family's lot. He's a bit of a brute but seems decent deep down. They take in a young German lad called Martin with some sort of juvenile record. Martin and Gelsomina can't speak a word to each other but there's no doubting young love's on the cards. One day out swimming the girls happen upon a Felliniesque looking TV shoot with Monica Bellucci as its Dolce Vita. The station are shooting an advert for an upcoming competition of local wonders and since Gelsomina has a particular knack for keeping bees, she decides to throw in.
Director Alice Rohrwacher grew up in rural Tuscany to a beekeeping father so we can presume the film to be biographical, to some extent at least. Whatever the case though that familiarity shows. She paints such a perfect portrait of rural Europe in the early 90's that you genuinely believe you are looking at a family which is vividly real. Rohrwacher draws marvelous performances from both of her young leads, who bring shyness, natural humour and charm in spades. Their pastel leggings and baggy jumpers feel heavy with authenticity too and Hélène Louvart's 16mm photography is near flawless in its execution. Indeed, as anyone who grew up in the 90's can attest, not a single frame would look out of place in any scrapbook of that time.
As the minutes float by, you get a real sense that the director has put her heart and soul up there on screen. The picture seems to ache with the pains of being that age. Gelsomina feels ready to shift more into adulthood but her father struggles to accept that she's no longer a child. The imagery flourishes with innocence and youth- the magic of a beam of light, the weight of a pile of spilled honey- but also writhes with growing pains too. Gelsomina and her closest sister often bond over their favourite song, but when it comes on the radio- with Martin in the room- she lashes out at her in shame. The young girl is devastated; a sting of rejection we all shudder to know.
The titular Wonders of this stunning film are of the competition Gelsomina enters but, of course, this is a film seeped in the wonders of growing up too. The girls look at Monica Belushi's TV presenter as if she were some rare bird of paradise, like nothing they've ever seen. A TV shoot in a cave might have been picked from one of Werner Herzog's more vibrant dreams. With all the struggles that come with film festivals- the cost, the lackluster films, the sardine tin squeeze- these occasions can be jading to even the most wide eyed and earnest of viewers. You can find yourself drained at times but then, right when you least expect it, something comes along and gets right underneath your skin; blows away the cobwebs; and, if it's really really good, gives a moment of clarity to all that overwhelming chaos of life.
The packed out Salle Debussy relegated me to a seat on the balcony's extreme left, a tower of speakers blocking off 10% of the left of screen, but it didn't matter. I will be astonished to see a better film at this year's Cannes film festival or beyond that even for 2014. With weighted austere fare like Mr. Turner and Winter Sleep in the mix, prizes might prove hard to come by, but with Jane Campion heading the jury, Ms Rohrwacher might just be in luck.
Whatever the case, as thing's stand we'll be routing for her this evening. Truly life affirming stuff.
