Film - THE WONDERS (Le Meraviglie)

Off the Wall Films presentsTHE WONDERS (Le Meraviglie)Alice Rohrwacher, Italy / Switzerland / Germany, 2014, 110m, 15, sub-titles, F-Ratedwith: Alba Rohrwacher, Maria Alexandra Lungu, Sam Louwyck, Monica BellucciNB - Doors at 5:30pm for a 6:30pm start. The programme will end around 9:00pm. Pre-screening supper, available to pre-order only, served in the Waterside 5:30 - 6:15pm. To order supper simply buy a meal ticket as listed above (nb - supper bookings will close at 12:00 midnight on the Saturday before the screening).A dilapidated Tuscan smallholding is home to Wolfgang, Angelica and their four daughters. The eldest girl Gelsomina is de facto head of the family, partly because of her father’s wayward behaviour but mostly because of her great understanding of the apiary which provides their main source of income. While their honey is reckoned the best in the region, their tight-knit, loving and eccentric way of life is threatened by new health standards which their apiary will not meet. When Gelsomina stumbles across a location shoot for ‘Village Wonders’, a tacky tv show which showcases quaint rural practices, she is transfixed by the glamourous presenter Milly and perceives a way out of the family predicament. But can she convince Wolfgang?Alice Rohrwacher (Happy as Lazzaro, La Chimera) is one of the most interesting filmmakers working in Europe today. Her films often draw upon her own upbringing as part of a multilingual bee-keeping family living in Tuscany (historically the land of the Etruscans, often referenced in her films). Her mesmerising second feature The Wonders was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, and won the Special Jury Prize. “Alice Rohrwacher confirms herself as one of Italian cinema's brightest talents in this pollen-dusted family drama.” – Little White Lies.“Small and sweet in every good way, but alive with a power that seems to surge up from deep beneath its sun-roughened landscape.”– The Daily Telegraph.“… a wistful but no-tears swan song recounting the disappearance of traditional rural lifestyle in Italy.” – The Hollywood Reporter.“…writer-director Alice Rohrwacher succeeds wonderfully well in capturing the richness of the kids' lives in their own remote and often brutal world.” – The Independent.“A rich, strange mix of coming-of-age film and troubled modern pastoral, The Wonders proves that Alice Rohrwacher's spikily original feature debut, Corpo Celeste, was no flash in the pan.” – Screen International.“The Wonders is a wise, enchanting work from a filmmaker with a unique vision.” – Reeling Reviews.Voluntary donations - Off the Wall Films is a not-for-profit enterprise. All donations - very gratefully received - will go towards improving the OtWF programme and the presentation of films at WSC.Carers' tickets - we offer complimentary tickets to carers of people with disabilities. If you would like to attend the screening along with the person in your care please message  [email protected]  with your request for a ticket. Please note - you are eligible for this offer only if you are accompanied by a paying person with disabilities.