Favorite Foreign Films: Primavera

Early 18th century. Venice, Italy. The Ospedale della Pietà, a secluded orphanage for abandoned girls, renowned for its exceptional all-female music ensembles — which attract tourists and patrons from all around Europe — is financed by the generosity of benefactors.

Run by strict nuns, the Pietà is home to a young virtuoso named Cecilia (Tecla Insolia). Confined behind its gates despite her extraordinary musical talent, she longs to know where she came from. While art has opened her soul, it cannot open the doors of her holy home, where she must hide behind a wall when performing for patrons. Seemingly, her only means of escape is an arranged marriage, which looms on the horizon as she waits for her betrothed (Stefano Accorsi), a significant financier of her schooling, to return from battle.

One day, when the institution hires an ambitious composer, Antonio Vivaldi (Michele Riondino), as the new instructor, Cecilia’s life changes drastically. Now, with a vehicle for her God-given gift to flourish, perhaps she can gather the strength to challenge her uninvited destiny, which once seemed inevitable.

Expanding on the novel Stabat Mater by Tiziano Scarpa, the film’s script — which is based on the real life of Vivaldi who was a Roman Catholic priest and taught at the Ospedale della Pietà for almost 30 years — was penned by Ludovica Rampoldi.

Combining stunning visuals from cinematographer Daria D’Antonio and an unforgettable score from Fabio Massimo Capogrosso, Primavera is the directorial film debut of Michieletto, who is a world-renowned stage director, especially known for his operas.