Spettacolo
Description
Once upon a time, villagers in a tiny hill town in Tuscany came up with a remarkable way to confront their issues: they turned their lives into a play. Every summer, their piazza became their stage and residents of all ages played a part – the role of themselves. Monticchiello’s annual tradition has attracted worldwide attention and kept the town together for 50 years, but with an aging population and a future generation more interested in Facebook than farming, the town’s 50th–anniversary performance just might be its last. From the makers of the classic documentary MARWENCOL, Jeff Malmberg and Chris Shellen’s SPETTACOLO tells the story of Teatro Povero di Monticchiello, interweaving episodes from its past with its modern-day process as the villagers turn a series of devastating blows into a new play about the end of their world.
Reviews
“So poignant and is so intelligently told that it feels wrong, almost insulting, to call SPETTACOLO charming, even if the movie is often delightful.”
— Manohla Dargis, The New York Times
“Theater lovers and Italophiles alike should savor SPETTACOLO. An engaging and wistful look at the tiny Tuscan village of Monticchielo and its longtime tradition of producing ‘autodramas.”
— Gary Goldstein, LA Times
“An absolutely beautiful film that’s ultimately about the power of art, the artistic process and pici pasta.”
— Matt Holzman, KCRW
