ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL
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
Yile Yara Vianello • Deva Cassel • Nicolas Maupas
1h 34m • Rated M • Drama, Romance • Italy (2023) • Eng Subs
The island setting, the modest production, and the humor that often arises from character rather than contrivance work together to keep the film from ever feeling flat. On the flip side, a few feel the pacing is uneven, or that the secondary characters don’t always land. Still, even these criticisms tend to be soft and in the service of a film that is more heartwarming than perfect.
Overall, the consensus sees The Ballad of Wallis Island as a warm, wistful, and soul-soothing film—modest in scope but rich in feeling. It’s not trying to dazzle, but it digs in where it matters: loss, memory, music, human connection. For many, it’s one of the more emotionally satisfying films of 2025.
The Ballad of Wallis Island is a quietly charming British comedy-drama directed by James Griffiths, written by and starring Tom Basden and Tim Key, alongside Carey Mulligan. The story centers on Charles, a lonely lottery winner living on a remote Welsh island, who invites his favorite folk duo—Herb McGwyer and Nell Mortimer—to reunite for a private performance. His motive isn’t just fandom; there are unresolved heartbreaks, nostalgia, and grief behind his idealistic gesture.
Critics are largely enamored with the film’s balance of humor and melancholy. Tim Key’s performance as Charles is praised for being endearingly awkward, verbose, and heart-on-sleeve, often using verbal wit to stave off silence. Basden as Herb, and Mulligan as Nell, deliver subtle, emotionally resonant performances, especially when the old romantic and artistic tensions surface—and you begin to feel what’s been lost, as well as what hope might remain. The original music is another highlight; the songs feel lived in, and the film uses them not as spectacle, but as emotional anchors.
Some reviewers point out that the premise is familiar—a fan’s devotee, reunited artists, romantic regrets—but argue that the execution elevates it.
CRITICS ROUNDUP
BOOK SEATS FOR
The Beautiful Summer (La Bella Estate)
Thu 15 Jan 8:00pm ncp
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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.