LE MERAVIGLIE/ THE WONDERS

Italy, 2014, 110 minutes, Colour.
Alba Rorhwacher, Maria Alexandra Lungu, Sam Louwyck, Sabine Timoteo, Luis Huilca, Monica Bellucci.
Directed by Alice Rohrwacher.

Winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes, 2014.

The setting is Tuscany, not the glamorous countryside but the poor farms, relying on sheep and beekeeping, also running the risk of families being run off their settlement. There are comments by characters throughout the film about the strangeness of the Etruscans, their language, dress, presence in Italy.

This is the second film by Alice Rohrmacher who directs her sister, Alba, as the leading character of the mother. However, Maria Alexandra Lungu as the daughter, Gelsomina, gives a powerful performance. Belgian actor Sam Louwyck is the angry father. There is a guest performance by Monica Bellucci as the star of television commercials and host of a competition for the farmers of the area.

The focus of the film is the family, father and mother, four daughters. Life is hard, continual work, tending to the bees, producing the honey, bottling it and selling it.

A competition is advertised in the region and the father is against it while Gelomina treaties, actually enrols the family and their work with the bees. Ultimately, they all go to the competition, is, are interviewed for the television – although his one neighbour wins.

A young German boy who is beginning to have a criminal record is entrusted to their care and becomes involved in the honey production, accompanying the family on various outings and even to the television set for the competition.

An Italian slice of life.

1. The title?? The lives of ordinary people? The name of the competition?

2. Italy, Tuscany, the farms, beekeeping, poverty, the land, the sea, the island, the necropolis, the caves? The interiors of the house? The television show? The musical score?

3. The initial photography, light and dark, headlights, spotlights, the hunters, the interiors and the family asleep, the shots? The father outside, his attack?

4. Mother, four girls, their age, life at home, work and play, the bees, going for a swim, making a noise, the father’s reaction? Quiet, the film set, the costumes, the lines, the commercial? The children’s delight?

5. The father, sternness, with his wife, the children, hard-working, proud? Offering the gift of the camel? Gelsomina talking about the law? The later bringing the camel and the little girl’s delight?

6. The advertisement for the competition, for the farmers, traditional values, the prices?

7. Gelsomina, the focus, her age, pre-puberty, with her friend, the television, watching the boys on the bikes?

8. The mother, cooking, peeling the vegetables, helping with the work?

9. The competition, the father and his argument against it, Gelsomina appealing to her mother, Coco, the attack on the father, telling the truth?

10. Martin, brought by the police, his fears, his age, 14, criminal record, payments to the family? Gelsomina being interviewed, the head of the family? The father and his outburst, his being advised to control himself, the interrogation about the bees, Martin and his capacity for whistling, not wanting to be touched?

11. The production of the honey, the laboratory, the vats, the buckets? The work, the jars and putting the lids and labels on? The spill, the father blaming his daughters? Work on the hives, the smoke, the bees dying of poison, the interrogation of his neighbour about the weedkiller? Farmers sticking together? The hives, the wind, the stones, the tarpaulin, the rain?

12. Gelsomina, looking in the mirror, going for the swim, the family happiness while the father was absent, the walk, the island, the caves? Gelsomina and the bees on her face? At the fair, selling honey, her friend and the dress?

13. The visit of Adrian, talk about Gelsomina, the friendship with the father, flirting with the mother? Their wanting him away?

14. Signing the forms about Martin? Gelsomina in favour?

15. The father away, tension, Gelsomina not dancing, Marinella and her hand being cut, the hospital, awareness of the buckets, the vast spelling of the honey, cleaning it up, the representative of the company, his inspection, tasting the honey, the family watching him?

16. The return, the mother’s exasperation, talking about leaving? Coco and her explanations?

17. Gelsomina, her responsibilities, her to her father, the trip to the island? The gift of the camel?

18. On the island, the Etruscan dress, the filming, the rehearsals, the old ladies singing, the compere and the interviews, the costumes? The father talking to the camera about the honey? Gelsomina and the bees, Martin whistling? The comments of the Etruscans?

19. Coco, her character, working in the house, the attraction towards Gelsomina, wanting to embrace Martin, his running away? Th group and the search, Gelsomina swimming,
touching hands, the shadows of their play, her return, the family lying down outside, place for her?

20. The selling of the sheep, packing? The custodians of the welfare of Martin, Gelsomina’s favourable comments? Reprimanding the father?

21. And then the family gone?