Movies: The Land of Women (2023) by Marisa Vallone: Forgotten Magic, Awoken by Motherhood
- dailyentertainment95
- Sep 5
- 5 min read
A Sardinian Witch’s Quiet Rebellion
Set in the rugged, tradition-bound landscapes of mid-20th-century Sardinia, The Land of Women follows Fidela, a woman feared and revered as the village witch because she was born the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter. Legends decree that such a woman brings fertility to others, yet is destined to remain barren herself. Trapped in isolation, Fidela lives apart from the villagers, who seek her blessings yet treat her as an outcast. Her life changes when she is given care of Bastiana, a child born outside of wedlock and herself also a seventh daughter. The bond between Fidela and Bastiana becomes transformative, forcing Fidela to confront her loneliness, her femininity, and the rigid traditions that suffocate her. Through the rediscovery of tenderness and maternal instinct, she begins to resist centuries of superstition and control, sparking a subtle but profound rebellion in her village.
Why to Recommend This Film: A Poetic Stir in a Silent Landscape
Why to watch this movie: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/no-potho-reposare (US), https://www.justwatch.com/es/pelicula/no-potho-reposare (Spain), https://www.justwatch.com/it/film/no-potho-reposare (Italy)
Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7143882/
About movie: https://www.laterradelledonneilfilm.com/
Myth meets feminism — The film reinterprets Sardinian folklore about the seventh daughter through a feminist lens, showing how mythology can both oppress and liberate.
Visually evocative — Sweeping shots of mountains, stone villages, and arid fields are paired with sounds of wind, water, and fire, creating a sensorial journey as much as a narrative one.
Award-winning central performance — Paola Sini, who plays Fidela, won the Mariangela Melato Award for Best Actress, underscoring the emotional power and nuance she brings to the role.
Universal resonance — Though rooted in Sardinia, its exploration of motherhood, stigma, and female resilience speaks to audiences worldwide.
Where to watch:
What is the Trend Followed: Resurrecting Local Myth for Modern Voices
Mythic realism in rural settings — The film fits into a wave of European cinema blending folklore with social critique, bringing local myths to global audiences.
Women’s intergenerational narratives — The relationship between Fidela and Bastiana reflects a growing cinematic trend of exploring female solidarity across generations.
Quiet revolutions — Rather than big climactic moments, the film emphasizes small gestures, personal awakenings, and subtle defiance, aligning with contemporary arthouse storytelling.
Director’s Vision: Vestiges of Earth, Whispers of Rebirth
Background in visual arts — Marisa Vallone trained in Rome and brings a painterly sensibility to the screen, where landscapes, natural textures, and muted colors convey as much meaning as dialogue.
Storytelling through ritual — Vallone builds narrative momentum not from action but from gestures—water drawn from a well, herbs burned in a ritual, the silence of the mountains.
Feminine reclamation — She gives voice to women silenced by superstition, showing that their inner power can reframe even the harshest traditions.
Nature as mirror of emotion — Sardinia’s stark geography becomes an extension of Fidela’s own exile and eventual rediscovery of her humanity.
Themes: Healing, Defiance, Transformation
Motherhood as reclamation — By caring for Bastiana, Fidela embraces her denied maternal instincts, reclaiming her identity as a woman beyond myths of sterility.
Tradition versus change — The film exposes how superstitions, while deeply ingrained, can be undone by empathy and love.
Isolation and intimacy — Fidela’s solitary existence reflects emotional exile; Bastiana’s arrival introduces the possibility of connection and healing.
The curse and the gift of being the seventh daughter — What is believed to be a curse becomes a metaphor for resilience and new beginnings.
Key Success Factors: Where Texture Triumphs
Immersive sensory design — The film’s natural soundscape—wind, bells, animal cries—immerses viewers in Sardinian life.
Stunning visuals — Earth tones, firelight, and stone architecture root the story in timeless, almost mythological imagery.
Compelling performance — Paola Sini’s layered portrayal of Fidela, both strong and vulnerable, earned her critical acclaim and an award.
Festival platform — Screenings at Cannes and Bari positioned the film firmly within the European arthouse tradition, attracting an international audience.
Cultural resonance — It brings Sardinian folklore to global light while speaking to universal questions of identity, love, and agency.
Awards & Nominations: Emotional Truth Honored
The film’s standout achievement is the Mariangela Melato Award for Best Actress, given to Paola Sini at the Bari International Film Festival in 2023. This recognition highlights the emotional and performative strength at the heart of the film, even though it did not collect a wide range of awards. Its nomination and festival presence underline its credibility as a serious work of arthouse cinema.
Critics Reception: Rich in Mood, Subtle in Revolution
Italian critics praised the film’s evocative imagery and natural soundscape, describing it as immersive and poetic rather than plot-driven.
Cultural commentary likened its rhythm and atmosphere to the poetry of Baudelaire or Rimbaud, emphasizing its sensuality and symbolic richness.
Overall impression is that the film speaks through silence, gesture, and environment, requiring patience from the audience but rewarding them with depth and resonance.
Overall Summary: Critics admired its mood, sensory artistry, and symbolism, though some noted its narrative is more meditative than traditionally dramatic.
Reviews: Earthy, Poetic, and Resonant
Strengths: Emotional subtlety, layered performance, lush landscapes, and a powerful feminist undertone.
Weaknesses: Sparse dramatization may leave viewers expecting conventional plot unsatisfied.
Consensus: An artful, atmospheric film that thrives as a visual poem about female resilience and quiet rebellion.
Release Date on Streaming: Festival Roads to Art-House Screens
The Land of Women premiered theatrically in Italy on 27 April 2023, followed by screenings in Spain in December 2023. Distribution has focused on festivals and selected arthouse circuits. Its streaming rollout has been slow, reflecting its placement as a festival film rather than a mainstream release.
Theatrical Release: From Cannes to Bari, the Festival Trail
The film premiered in the European film circuit, with appearances at Cannes and a strong showing at the Bari International Film Festival. These stages positioned it as a serious arthouse contender, but the theatrical rollout was limited to select venues in Italy and Spain.
Movie Trend: Mythic Feminist Realism
The film embodies a current trend in European arthouse cinema: combining folklore and myth with feminist storytelling. It follows the path of films that use rural traditions not as quaint background, but as frameworks for exploring identity, power, and resistance.
Social Trend: Reclaiming Female Agency Through Ancestral Voices
The story resonates with a global cultural trend of revisiting ancestral myths and reclaiming suppressed voices. By centering the perspective of women once stigmatized as witches or outcasts, the film contributes to broader conversations about gender, agency, and the reinterpretation of heritage.
Final Verdict: A Whispered Rebellion in Mountain Shadows
The Land of Women is a sensory and emotional journey into the heart of Sardinian folklore and female resilience. Marisa Vallone transforms myth into a poetic parable of defiance, while Paola Sini’s award-winning performance anchors the story with vulnerability and strength. Though meditative and minimalist in plot, the film resonates with universal themes of motherhood, tradition, and the reclamation of female agency. It stands as both a cinematic ode to Sardinia and a feminist declaration whispered through mountains, fire, and silence.
Comments