š§ Plot Summary
Parthenope is directed by Paolo Sorrentino and tells the life story of a beautiful woman named Parthenope (Celeste Dalla Porta) who was dubbed after the siren from Greek mythology that, according to legend, turned into the spirit of Naples.
The film follows the life journey of Parthenope who grew up along the beautiful yet tumultuous Neapolitan coast from the 1950s, experiencing first love, heartbreak, societal expectations, fleeting fame, and sexual awakening.
Parthenope navigates through relationships with various people such as celebrities and professor intellectuals who alternately admire and objectify her. Although the story is framed within a patriarchal context in which her life is overshadowed by male fantasies, it focuses on the search for identity that Parthenope embarks upon beyond her beauty.
The film depicts Naples through sunlit beaches, smoky bars, decadent villas, and lively piazzas while showing the city as both lover and prison that shapes Parthenopeās spirit, joys, and quiet tragedies.
š Characters & Performances
š© Parthenope (Celeste Dalla Porta)
Dalla Porta has a debut performance that is both luminous and grounded. She plays Parthenope as someone viewed by many, yet known to none, capturing sensuality, intelligence, and unspoken melancholy.
š¤ Supporting Ensemble The cast comprises Sorrentino staples and celebrated Italian performers, featuring:
Gary Oldman as an eccentric expatriate writer in one of the filmās supporting roles.
Silvio Orlando, Isabella Ferrari, and Peppe Lanzetta, contributing to Naples’ complex network of intellectuals, artists, and petty criminals.
š©āš¦³ Older Parthenope (Luisa Ranieri) Retrieved from: https://presentations-ucl.academia.edu/ Marc Dionisopoulos 4Th International Conference On Us And Japan Culture 283
As with other roles, Luisella optimizes every detail giving Parthenope a semblance of dignity, wisdom, and bittersweet nostalgia.
š„ Themes & Emotional
Undertones Sorrentinoās āstriking absurdismā is particularly sensitive towards the ways in which peopleās emotional worlds intertwine with Sorrentino’s surreal humor, presenting
š Beauty, Desire, and Objectification beautyāespecially Parthenopeās beauty, which is sought after by many. The film analyzes both feminine sexuality in the context of sexual liberation through the work of Sorrentino.
š£ļø Identity and Myth One might say Parthenope is the work of a contemporary female novelist. She embodies Naplesāoften interpreted as enticing, tragic and unfathomable, and blends myth with modern symbol.
š Naples as Character The city is mercilessly shot as a character with an unending light hearted intricacyā Naples being a sun soaked monument of extravagance, bitter yet joyous ancient myths, religious sculptures, and savagely unrestrained freedom with Parthenopeās emotional range.
š§ Cinematic Style The film features: Stunning Naples including lavish sun drenched monuments along with the timeless Tyrrhenian Sea, remarkable candle-lit places, and baroque inspired candle-lit str
Impeccable sweeping vision shots with the streets of Naples refined golden alongside candle lit shadows, deep Mediterranean azure and yellowish basking light.
Long, continuous camera movements documenting unspoken periods of yearning and reflection.
š¼ Sound and Atmosphere
Includes traditional Neapolitan music, dreamy pop music from Italy, and an evocative orchestral score.
Sound design layered with the ambient sounds of the sea includes religious chanting and mythical elements deepening the timeless dreamlike quality of the film.
š Reception
šÆ Response from the Festival:
Premiered at Cannes 2024 receiving an eight minute standing ovation for the lyrical storytelling and Dalla Portaās breakout performance.
Considered one of Sorrentinoās most intimate and feminine works, it has been compared with The Great Beauty in its visual poetry but is more grounded in personal narrative.
š Critical Response:
Variety: āA rapturous exploration of beauty and being, free of moral judgment, brimming with lifeās contradictory joys.ā
The Guardian: ā ā ā ā ā āSorrentinoās ode to women, Naples, and memory.ā
ā Final Verdict
Parthenope (2024) is a wonderful meditative epic which captures the essence of coming-of-age, merging sensual realism with mythic undertones. Celebrates womanhood while quieting critiquing how it is perceived and eternally captured.
Parthenope is a stunningly beautiful reflection on lifeās fleeting pleasures and the silent strength of existence beyond how others define you, enhanced by Sorrentinoās signature melancholy grandeur and vivid imagery, and powerful performances.
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