The Beautiful Summer
Turin, 1938. Seventeen-year-old Ginia (Yile Yara Vianello) leaves the countryside with her brother in search of a new life in the city. Though Turin lies in the shadow of a rising fascist government and her brother yearns to return home, Ginia is optimistic about the future. In a short time, she excels in her work as a seamstress at an atelier, gaining new clients with her designs and impressing her otherwise irascible employer. Restless and seeking adventure, Ginia soon finds it in a beautiful, enigmatic young woman named Amelia (Deva Cassel). Though similar in age, her new friend’s sensuality and confidence embolden Ginia to begin modeling for the bohemian artists in their circle. A whirlwind affair ensues, and the young seamstress finds herself swept up in this unfamiliar and exciting world, all the while never escaping Amelia’s spell. The young women grow closer, and Ginia makes an emotional journey towards self-discovery over the course of one beautiful, sun-dappled summer.
Featuring tender performances by Vianello and Cassel, Laura Luchetti’s latest coming-of-age drama showcases “the intertwined complexities of first love and first sexual experiences, highlighting the inevitable messiness and poignancy of adolescence” (Screen Anarchy).
Cast
- Yile Yara Vianello
- Deva Cassel
- Nicolas Maupas
- Alessandro Piavani
- "[A] gorgeously mounted Italian period drama"
- "The Beautiful Summer (La Bella Estate) lives up to its title: The screen is alive with the sensual glow of balmy days and nights — and, specifically, with the youthful giddiness that the warmest season rouses. [I]t’s anchored by the impressive screen debut of Yile Yara Vianello in the lead role."
- "The Beautiful Summer works, just as its title vividly suggests, primarily on a contrast: the beauty, innocence, and relief of a transient time before the years of war, misfortune, and darkness."
- "For fresh evidence that Italy produces some of the best cinema on Earth, look no further than the hyper-potent historical romance THE BEAUTIFUL SUMMER."
- "The combination of innocence and curiosity in the look of Yile Yara Vianello is one of The Beautiful Summer's great weapons."
- "“The Beautiful Summer” is a warm and sensual portrayal of a young woman’s maturation. It is powerful in its honest depiction of exploration, with one’s own body and sexuality. While exercising strong direction and empathetic performances, Laura Luchetti’s film enters the canon of coming of age films with a commanding presence. "
- "Appointed with a warmth and plushness that is reminiscent of a Merchant Ivory production...."
- "Deva Cassel, the [child] of both Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci, shines in her debut role: not only is she beautiful; she has the grace and poise of a natural movie star."
- "The Beautiful Summer captures the essence of the novel, showcasing the intertwined complexities of first love and first sexual experiences, highlighting the inevitable messiness and poignancy of adolescence."
Awards & Recognition
Audience Award
Locarno Film Festival
Gold Q-Hugo
Chicago Int'l. Film Festival
Best Film
Montpellier Mediterranean Film Festival
Denver Film Festival
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