The Beautiful Summer (La Bella Estate)
A luminous coming-of-age story set in 1930s Turin, where shy young Ginia is drawn into the bohemian world of artists, free-spirited models, and forbidden desire. As she becomes fascinated by the enigmatic Amelia, Ginia’s quiet life opens into one of sensual discovery, creative awakening, and emotional vulnerability. A tender portrait of first passions and the bittersweet beauty of youth on the cusp of change.
DIRECTOR
Laura Luchetti
Actors
1h 34m • Rated TBC • Drama, Romance • Italy (2023)
Yile Yara Vianello • Deva Cassel • Nicolas Maupas
A passionate romance with a young painter is matched by her feelings for her glamorous and provocative new friend, Amelia. The costuming and period re-creation is sophisticated and impeccably captured by delicate, thoughtful photography. The cast is led by the brilliant Yile Yara Vianello and the mesmerising Deva Cassel (daughter of film royalty Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel). A tender and sensuous story that perfectly captures a fleeting and crucial moment of the journey into adulthood. Paolo Rotondo
CRITICS ROUNDUP
Gentle, wistful, and beautifully observed
The Beautiful Summer is adapted from the famous Cesare Pavese novel of the same name. The film feels like an evocation of a nearly forgotten sun-warmed memory from long ago. It is set in the foreboding pre-war Torino of 1938 and mirrored by the delicate self-discovering years of early adulthood. Young seamstress Gina moves from the country, to the urbane, sophisticated city with promises of new possibilities, adventure and unimagined desires. Her new friendships expose her to a bohemian circle and possibilities that challenge everything she knows.