One of the triumphs of the 71st Cannes Film Festival is a mythological drama by Alice Rohrwacher about the friendship between a farmer from rural Italy and a poseur from a rich family. It reflects the irreversible changes in the country, the world, and people over the last few decades.
The world of Alice Rohrwacher has always existed at the obscure line between credibility and magical realism—which can be traced back to her debut The Wonders. In her new picture Rohrwacher draws another "water-color" pastoral world with elements of a fairy tale, where idyll is found side by side with injustice and fatal disasters. The main character—a farm boy—sets out on a metaphorical journey together with the son of his masters. Thus, the classical story about a prince and a beggar comes to life in the disappearing world of provincial Italy. The film received the award for best screenplay at the 71st Cannes Film Festival.
Happy as Lazzaro
Director Alice Rohrwacher
Italy, Switzerland, France, Germany, 2018, 125 min, 18+