A CASTLE IN ITALY

France, 2013, minutes, Colour.
Valeria Tedeschi Bruni, Louis Garrell, Filippo Timi, Marisa Tedeschi Bruni, Xavier Beauvois, Ande Wilms, Silvio Orlando.

Directed by Valeria Tedeschi Bruni.

Castle in Italy is a French drama, very French, with touches of the Italian. It was written and directed by actress Valeria Tedeschi Bruni. Much of the plot is drawn from the actress’ own life, her own mother portraying her mother in this film, her relationship with an actor, Louis Gaerrell in real life as well is here on the screen, her brother who died of AIDS.

The film will probably appeal to those who like French drama. However, here the characters are rather unlikeable, given the erratic moods of the heroine herself. She portrays Louise - she has been an actress but not performing for 10 years, taking time off for herself. As the film opens, she is participating in the chant of a group of monks, shades of Of Gods and Men, whose director, Xavier Beauvois, acts in this film, portraying a friend of the family, fallen on hard times and begging for money, disrupting a funeral at the end of the film.

Louise, hurrying to the railway station meets the actor wandering in the woods after take in a film directed by his father. They exchange phone numbers and when the actress returns to the city, they begin an affair. It is complicated by the age of Louise who is desperate to have a child and undergoes some IVF treatments, the actor, to his distaste, persuaded to provide sperm. There is a bizarre, very Italianate scene, when Louise goes to a convent to sit on a special chair of a nun venerated there but jealously guarded by an extremely severe nun who interrogates people about their faith and their mass-going. Louise desperately breaks through to sit on the chair before being evicted. There is also a desperate scene in the clinic where an indifferent nurse does not listen to Louise’s anxiety about a wrong tag on her arm. She does become pregnant and is very happy until a miscarriage and the breakdown of the relationship.

And the Castle of the title? It belongs to the family and there is need to sell the Castle for financial reasons or, to lease it to the locals, where the Mayor wants it to become something of a resort for visitors. Mother and daughter agree to the selling of their prized Breughel painting, which upsets the brother who is against any sale.

With the personal ups and downs of the characters, there is often change of moods, especially when the brother dies and during his funeral and in the subsequent gathering of people at the Castle where an old tree that has died is dug out and a new tree, quite huge, is planted in its place – symbol of the change from the old to the new and the future?

The film seems to be a collection of episodes about the characters rather than a well-thought-out screenplay and personal drama.


1. A French entertainment? Exploration of characters?

2. The director, her career, as actress, as director, writer? The autobiographical background and variations on her life? Her own acting career, direction? Louis Garell and his relationship with her in real life, the break? Her mother performing as her mother? The story of her brother, illness, AIDS, and the death of her brother from the illness in real life?

3. The title, the castle, how important, the heritage of the family, changes, the need for tourism, the need to sell, the interiors, the grounds? The importance of the Breughel painting? To sell it or not?

4. Louise, her character, acting in the past, the 10 years, having the means to try to live her life? The opening with the monks, the chant, the monk persuading her to buy rosary, his urging her to kneel on the ground and prostrate for recollection and prayer? Her hurrying through the woods, the encounter with Nathan, his knowing her, the attraction, exchanging cards? Her going home? The effect of her brother’s illness, Jeanne and her support of her brother? The discussions in the castle and the mayor’s plans?

5. Louise and Nathan, the meeting, the apologies, her going to his apartment, their being together? His reaction? Attraction to Louise? The visit to his mother? His father directing him in the movie scene and his immediate reaction? Going into the woods? Going to see his father and discussing his relationship? The issue of Louise’s pregnancy, IVF, his not liking it, his embarrassment in going to the clinic, providing the sperm? The bizarre, very Italianate scene, where Louise goes to a convent to sit on a special chair of nun venerated but jealously guarded by an extremely severe nun who interrogates people about their faith and their mass-going. Louise desperately breaks through to sit on the chair before being evicted?The reactions with Louise, not going to her brother’s wedding, the break?

6. Louise, her desire to be pregnant? Her biological clock ticking? Going to the clinic, the IVF treatment, the wrong label on her arm, her panic, the phlegmatic reaction of the nurse, the doctor, the impregnation? Her pregnancy? The blood, the miscarriage?

7. Serge, his place in the family’s life, working with Louise’s mother, the music? His drinking, down and out, going to the brother to get money, the refusal? The mother giving him €300 and his disdain? Talking with Louise? The break in the relationship? His turning up for the funeral, in the gallery, his loud outburst in speech, about death and suffering, critical?

8. Louise’s brother, the relationship with Jeanne, but wanting to sell the Castle? the marriage ceremony, Nathan not coming? His continuing illness, going to the hospital, Louise and her panic, the heat, trying to buy the fan, clamouring on the door of the shop, coming back and finding him dead?

9. Louise and her mother going to London, the auction – and the presence of Omar Shariff and their reminiscences, especially about Dr Zhivago. The auctioning of the Breughel painting, the bids, finished – but Louise calling out against it?

10. The funeral, the background of the family, the Jewish ancestry, the marriage to a Catholic, the Catholic heritage? Important for the mother, the chapel in the castle, the statue of Mary, covering it and then changing her mind?

11. Louise, concerned about her pregnancy, going to the convent, the Italian nuns, their severity, asking for declarations of faith, about Sunday Mass-going, about mortal sin, and Louise rushing in, pushing the crowds aside, sitting on the seat before being ejected? Her own faith and spirituality, semi-lapsed, devotional with the touch of superstition?

12. The significance of the tree? Cutting down the old, the delivery of the new? People gathered to celebrate?

13. Louise and her future? Age, back in Paris? Relationships?

14. The film as a succession of events rather than a cause and effect story?