Baarìa
Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore
Italy & France, 2009
Cornerhouse, 3 September 2010
There is little doubt that this is a great film, pretty much a masterpiece.
It has an epic sweep (and a running time of two and a half hours to match) and it follows the fortunes of one Peppino Torrenuova (Francesco Scianna), all the way from the days of Mussolini right up to the present time.
But the film is resplendent with cinematic lyricism too, and one would expect no less from the director of Cinema Paradiso. We discover in Peppino a life of resistance to tyranny and authority, yet also a life graced with a disproportionate share of love, humour and comradely conviviality.
In this film, Sicily is sunlit and spellbinding, deliriously vital and alive. The two leads, Francesco Scianna and Margareth Madè (who plays his love, Mannina), give superb performances and the actress who plays Peppino’s grandmother (she’s pictured above, but I’ve been unable to identify her: please help me, someone…) is a compelling presence too.
Giuseppe Tornatore captures the mystery and strangeness of life, as well as its beauty and adventure. And he has made a film suffused with a sense of wonder. He is one of the great directors of our time, without a doubt.
After you see Baarìa you’ll feel happier and more alive. That’s a guarantee.
Jildy Sauce 