Review of Locarno 2023: THE FILM BEAUTIFUL SUMMER (LA BELLA ESTATE) Strikes a Sexual Awakening and Self-Discovery in Italy Before the War

Director Laura Lucchetti presents her latest work Beautiful Summer (original title La bella estate), an adaptation of Cesare Pavese's 1949 novel of the same name.

The movie tells the story of the formation of Ginia, a young working-class girl trying to find her place in life during the tumultuous events before World War II in Italy.

Guinia, played by Yile Yara Vianello, is a humble village girl who, eager to experience the world outside her small town, finds herself a seamstress in the bustling city of Torino.

Within the constraints of society's old-fashioned gender norms, she meets Amelia, a bohemian fiery girl embodied by the talented Deva Cassel.

Meeting Amelia and her circle of free-thinking artists turns Guinia's world upside down, introducing her to the depths of the city's decadent subculture, where creativity and passion blossom.

Guinia's life undergoes a transformation as she delves deeper and deeper into the world of art.

Amelia, a bold and rebellious individual, makes a living by posing nude.

Under Amelia's influence, Guinia begins to question her own identity and place in the world.

The movie illuminates Ginia's journey of self-discovery as she oscillates between the comfort of tradition and the appeal of modernity.

Her story is one of sexual awakening intertwined with her growing sense of power as she turns to Amelia for advice.

Ginia's transition from shy girl to confident woman is marked by her decision to embrace a life unencumbered by the constraints of a conservative upbringing.

Feeling stifled by her supposed innocence, she strives to fit in with the colorful artists she now considers her friends, and craves a richer creative expression beyond her work as a seamstress.

“Beautiful Summer” captures the essence of the novel, showing the intertwined complexities of first love and first sexual experiences, emphasizing the inevitable messiness and depth of adolescence.

However, the movie is different in that it focuses not only on these aspects of growing up, but also on the broader themes of self-expression, freedom, and the importance of overcoming the stereotypes imposed by society.

Amelia's influence on Guinia is undeniable, but the focus is on Guinia's inner journey, full of doubts, desires, and dilemmas, where she learns to define herself on her own terms.

“Beautiful Summer” is a depiction of the transformative power of youth, art and self discovery that comes from fully embracing life with all its contradictions and complexities.

The movie Beautiful Summer combines the story of first love and first sex, two different aspects, as for Ginia, physical intimacy proves to be marred by false expectations and ultimately more disappointment than satisfaction due to its taboo status.

However, she finds greater fulfillment in her affinity with Amelia, which may go beyond friendship.

Laura Lucchetti does not focus on the story of homosexuality, but rather focuses on the female perception of the time and the transformative journey of breaking deeply ingrained stereotypes in the pursuit of self-affirmation and fulfillment not prescribed by society.

“Beautiful Summer” is a slow-paced costume psychological drama that celebrates female freedom, though Lucchetti's approach is more focused on the original material, and the film feels like a literary adaptation with a few digressions concerning the supporting characters whose role is to expand the world and innate conventions around Ginia.

The movie was recently screened at the Locarno Film Festival.