The Graziadeis have more children than beds, so everyone must share. Of course, winters are chilly in the Italian alps, where the village of Vermiglio remains practically untouched by the modern world. None of the houses have central heating and most garments are homespun from natural fibers. Everyone must wake early, especially the eldest daughter, Lucia, who milks their cow to provide for her family\u2019s breakfast.<\/p>\r\n
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Despite their crops and livestock (which are necessary for survival), Signore Graziadei\u2019s primary occupation is that of teacher in the one-room schoolhouse serving the titular village. His position bestows considerable prestige and influence, but little in financial compensation. Nevertheless, he often vexes his (almost constantly pregnant) wife Adele by spending their limited funds on phonograph records\u2014like Vivaldi\u2019s The Four Seasons<\/strong>, which becomes a touchstone musical motif throughout the film. (However, record collectors will understand his contention music is \u201cfood for the soul.\u201d)<\/p>\r\n![\"Vermiglio\"](\"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Vermiglio3.png\")
\u00a9Courtesy of Janus Films & Sideshow
Regardless, that is the only indulgence viewers see throughout the film, except maybe a consoling drink or a well-earned caf\u00e9-break. Life grinds on, so much so that the ongoing war hardly registers for the village. Whereas most Americans compulsively followed radio war reports, nobody in Vermiglio even owns a \u201cwireless.\u201d Consequently, they have little frame of reference when two deserters take refuge with Signore Graziadei\u2019s sister, Cesira. For her sake, Cesira\u2019s son Attilio and his Sicilian friend Pietro stay in her barn, to maintain his mother\u2019s remotely plausible deniability, but their presence is an open secret within the village.
Frankly, illiterate Pietro\u2019s Sicilian dialect sounds as foreign to Lucia as ancient Sanskrit would to us, but their romantic attraction transcends language barriers. Soon, it becomes yet another fact of life for her parents to manage.
The beauty of Vermiglio<\/strong> comes directly from its Spartan austerity. Every scene framed by cinematographer Mikhail Krichman looks museum-worthy, especially his snowy winterscapes, which almost suggest the influence of Flemish master Pieter Bruegel (the Elder).
However, the pace in Vermiglio<\/strong> passes by very differently from what contemporary viewers are accustomed to, because it is a very different world. Clearly, Delpero primarily intends to immerse viewers in this insular community, while storytelling, per se, represents an important but secondary concern. When it comes to that first goal, Delpero succeeds smashingly. However, Delpero\u2019s severe aesthetic approach often keeps viewers emotionally at arm\u2019s length.<\/p>\r\n![\"Vermiglio\"](\"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Vermiglio1.png\")
\u00a9Courtesy of Janus Films & Sideshow
Yet, regular film-patrons will likely not see finer ensemble work than that from Vermiglio<\/strong>\u2019s cast, which features many nonprofessionals making their film debuts. Remarkably, the many young children look and act entirely as if this hardscrabble life is all they ever knew (you would hardly believe they ever saw commercially packaged food, let alone an Xbox). Likewise, Roberta Rovelli plays the long-suffering, no-nonsense Signora Adele with conviction that demands respect.
However, Tommaso Ragno\u2019s masterful portrayal of the Graziadei patriarch will truly linger in viewers\u2019 memories, for its quiet power and subtle complexity. Ironically, Martina Scrinzi\u2019s Lucia appears so angelically innocent, she seems as out of place in the frosty Alps as she would in our contemporary world. Appropriately, her keenly expressive performance conveys Lucia\u2019s deep sensitivity.<\/p>\r\n
Essentially, \u201cnothing\u201d happens in Vermiglio<\/strong>, except some of the most difficult and challenging events the Graziadei family will ever face. It in no way classifies as a \u201cwar movie,\u201d but wartime circumstances still definitely contribute, indirectly, to their troubles. The artistry is arresting, but Vermiglio<\/strong> is hardly the sort of foreign film you would recommend to the subtitle-phobic. It expects viewers\u2019 full attention and concentration, but in return, it transfixes and transports them to a very specific place (almost but not quite untouched by time and the outside world). Respectfully recommended for cineastes with refined tastes, Vermiglio<\/strong> should be a serious Oscar contender, following it theatrical opening, this Christmas Day (12\/25).<\/p>\r\n![\"Vermiglio\"](\"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Vermiglio4.png\")
\u00a9Courtesy of Janus Films & Sideshow
Grade: B+<\/p>\r\n