THE EIGHT MOUNTAINS/ LE OTTO MONTAGNE

Italy, 2022, 147 minutes, Colour.

Luca Marinelli, Alessandro Borghi, Lupo Barbiero, Cristiano Sassella, Filippo Timi, Andrea Palma, Francesco Palombelli, Elisabetta Mazullo.

Directed by Felix van Groningen, Charlotte Vandermeersch.

This is a drama about friendship. It is also a drama about the different paths that life takes.

While the setting is the Italian Alps, filmed spectacularly in the mountains, the valleys, the lakes, in the variety of seasons, the beauty and tranquility of summer, the snow and the dangers of winter, the title does not just simply refer to these locations. Rather, there is a drawing, echoes of Eastern mysticism, a circle, lines of division across the circle forming different sectors, but a central point, a peak. The explanation is that one can go to the centre, the peak, remain there or, rather, one can travel about the different sectors, the eight mountains.

Which is the template, so to speak, for the two characters in this film. They are Pietro and Bruno.

The two meet as boys, 11 years old, Pietro coming from Turin with his parents for the summer holidays in the Alps, Bruno a boy at home in the mountains. They share a number of adventures during the holidays, become good friends, share climbing with Pietro is demanding father, Bruno showing grit, Pietro weaker. And then Bruno suddenly leaves, his father leaving the mountains and going to work in the city as a bricklayer. This childhood section of the film is very engaging.

The narration of the film is by Pietro and he reveals to us that several years pass and the two teenagers paths cross, Pietro recognising Bruno coming into a bar, Bruno nodding but then leaving with his fellow workers. And then, with some dismay, Pietro reveals that they did not see each other for 15 years. In the meantime, Pietro has clashed severely with his father, his father demanding on his son, the son walking out, not really making anything of his life, odd jobs, cooking, keeping in touch with his mother.

It is Bruno who makes the move after the 15 years, listening to Pietro, then revealing the Bruno has been in touch with Pietro’s father over the years and had received a bequest from him, asking him to build a house high in the mountains. The invitation is for Pietro to work with him.

This gives Bruno a sense of direction, handling his bricklaying skills, reminding him of his love for the mountains, is deciding to stay, cattle, milking, cheesemaking, eventually marrying one of Pietro’s friends, a daughter, prosperity, financial difficulties…

While Pietro values connecting with Bruno and also the achievement of building the house, his life in Turin seems to have little value, Bruno reminding him that once he thought to be a writer. This does have an effect on Pietro who travels, visits Nepal, beautiful vistas of other mountains, is meeting the people, feeling at home, a deeper sense of himself and his abilities, writing and publishing.

And so it goes over the years, Pietro in Nepal establishing a life there, returning to Italy and bonding with Bruno and his family, with his mother.

This is a film of a long time friendship, bonding, sharing, absences, encouragement, achievement, failures, sadness. Bruno has stayed at the centre in his mountain while Pietro has travelled and experience the wider range of the eight mountains.

1. An Italian novel and writer? Belgian writers and directors?
2. The title, the drawing, the central mountain, the surrounding mountains? The central fixed mountain symbolising Bruno, the other mountains of space symbolising Pietro?
3. The beauty of the scenery, the Alps, the mountains, the different seasons, the paths, the lakes, the homes, building the house, the farm? The comparison with the Himalayan scenery, the mountains, seasons, the towns, homes, shops, schools? The musical score?
4. The early part of the film, the boys, aged 11, Pietro, from Turin, a city boy, education, relationship with his father, a demanding father? The support of mother? The encounter with Bruno, a boy from the mountains, his father moving to the city from farming, bricklaying? The friendship between the two boys, the scenes of them in the mountains, playing together, depending on each other, Bruno the leader? The scene of the boys with Pietro’s father, the altitude, the crevasse, Bruno leaping, Pietro unable to, his father’s reaction? His father always urging him on? The summers, the separations? Bruno and his disappearance, to work with his father? Pietro’s response?
5. Then several years later, Pietro, in the bar, seeing Bruno with the workers, the nod, and not seeing each other for 15 years?
6. Pietro, the confrontations with his father, not wanting to be like him? Leaving? The jobs, the bar, cooking? Not really settling? His father’s death? The support of his mother?
7. Bruno, 15 years later, the encounter between the two, Bruno’s life, bricklaying and work? always seeing himself as a man of the mountains?
8. The bonding between the two, the sharing of their stories of the years? Bruno, the invitation to build the house, the site, the bequest from Pietro’s father, Pietro discovering the bond between Bruno and his father, their travels – and later going to the different mountains, recovering the books, reading the mementos of his father?
9. The building, the work, the stone, the timber, bring it up the mountain? Pietro and his climbing the mountain, standing at the peak and calling to Bruno? Pietro bringing his friends from Turin, their response, ecology consciousness? The relationship with Lara?
10. The years passing, the visits to the mountain, Bruno staying, the cows, the milking, making the cheese, fulfilling his ambitions?
11. Pietro, travelling, the past urge to write, lacking self-confidence, going to Nepal, the experience, the different mountains, the people, bonding with them, the details of his life there? His writing, eventually publishing?
12. Bruno, the relationship with the Lara, her business sense, her pregnancy, the birth of their daughter? The years passing? Pietro and his returning? The financial difficulties, Lara and the clash with Bruno, his stubbornness, her taking the daughter, going down from the mountain?
13. Bruno, his decision to stay, to manage, the man of the mountain, the fixed centre? Pietro and his regular visits, the discussions, the confrontation, Pietro unable to help Bruno, Bruno ousting him? Pietro deciding to return, finding Bruno again, the skiing?
14. Pietro, Bruno’s disappearance, the helicopter, the search, his absence, waiting for spring, the melting snow, the crows picking up the body? Bruno and his achievement in his ambitions – but also the cost?
15. Pietro, finding fulfilment’s life, returning to her the teacher in Nepal, with the children, playing ball, his future?
16. A portrait of male friendship over many decades? Joys, sorrows, regrets?