A poetic and whimsical ballad about a grave robber
Italy in the 80s. Plundering ancient Etruscan tombs is as lucrative as it is forbidden. As a diviner, the strange Briton Arthur is the big trump card of the wild troupe of "Tombaroli", who dig up the Etrurian earth in search of ancient treasures: Grave goods of immeasurable value, made for the souls of the deceased, not for the eyes of men.
But Arthur is not chasing the chimera of easy money. His chimera looks like the woman he has lost, Beniamina. To find her, he challenges the boundaries between dream and reality, between the visible and the invisible, on an adventurous search for the gateway to the afterlife that the myths speak of. As lonely as Arthur's search may be, he is not alone. There is Beniamina's mother, the ageing aristocrat Flora, in her huge villa between grandeur and decay. The Tombaroli, who drag him along to the wild carnival celebrations in the area. The mysterious fence Spartaco, who buys the antiques that have been snatched from the earth at ridiculous prices. And Italia, who breathes new life into Arthur with her irresistible cheerfulness and a Crah course in Italian sign language. One night, Arthur, Italia and the Tombaroli unexpectedly stumble upon an Etruscan treasure trove. In view of the immeasurable wealth and breathtaking beauty, the boundaries between past and present, sacred and tangible, life and death seem to be rearranged. Has Arthur's search come to an end?
"La Chimera", Alice Rohrwacher's new film after "Happy as Lazzaro", is a miracle in the best tradition of Italian cinema: Magical, deep, burlesque, down-to-earth and fantastic, philosophical, comedic and dramatic, moving love story and impetuous adventure. Wonderfully filmed by Hélène Louvart and masterfully edited by Nelly Quettier, Josh O'Connor ("The Crown") shines as a melancholy grave robber in a stunning ensemble with Carol Duarte, Vincenzo Nemolato, Alba Rohrwacher and the great Isabella Rosselini.
Italy, France, Switzerland, 2023, 130 minutes
Director: Alice Rohrwacher
With Josh O'Connor, Carol Duarte, Vincenzo Nemolato, Isabella Rossellini, Alba Rohrwacher, Lou Roy-Lecollinet
