A Semi-Autobiographical Film from a Director Raised in a Beekeeping Family

This is the second feature film from Alice Rohrwacher, an Italian director born in 1982, who is just 32 years old. With this work, her fresh talent was highly praised, and she instantly became a representative of the new generation.

The story follows the Gelsomina, the eldest of four sisters, in a family that runs a beekeeping business in the region around Tuscany in central Italy. It depicts the inner world of a daughter growing into adulthood and the father's struggle to accept her changes. The film meticulously portrays the delicate emotions of each family member during one summer.

For the role of Gelsomina, the protagonist, Rohrwacher cast Maria Alexandra Lungu, who had no prior acting experience. Her innocent features are punctuated by moments of mature womanhood that are unforgettable. The role of the mother is played by Alba Rohrwacher, the director's older sister. Furthermore, Monica Bellucci appears as a television show host.

Family Changes Arise as They Take in a Boy

In a secluded area in the region around Tuscany in central Italy, filled with light and greenery, lived a family that ran a beekeeping business using traditional methods. Gelsomina, the eldest of four daughters, has been raised under the unique education and affection of her father Wolfgang, who aims for coexistence with nature, and she is now more knowledgeable about bees than her father.

The family had lived their lives in rhythm with nature, but their days began to ripple when the crew of the TV show 'Wonderland' visited the village one summer, and the family took in a boy.



'The Wonders'
Nationwide theatrical release starting August 22 (Saturday) at Iwanami Hall and other cinemas
Director & Screenplay | Alice Rohrwacher
Starring | Maria Alexandra Lungu, Sam Louwyck, Alba Rohrwacher, Sabine Timoteo, Monica Bellucci
Distribution | HARK
2014 / Italy, Switzerland, Germany / 111 min / Original Title 'Le Meraviglie / The Wonders'
http://www.natsu-yuku.jp


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