The Island of Idealists (2024) by Elisabetta Sgarbi: An Intricate Game of Ideology and Crime

Short Summary: A Dangerous Refuge The Island of Idealists is a psychological drama based on a lost novel by Giorgio Scerbanenco. It tells the story of two young thieves, Beatrice and Guido, who, while fleeing the police, take refuge in a remote villa inhabited by a family of intellectuals. The villa's owner, Celestino, instead of reporting them, proposes a deal: they must undergo a cultural re-education in exchange for their freedom. The film is an intense reflection on power dynamics, the utopian idea of redeeming others, and the complexity of human relationships.

Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/it/title/tt31616781/

Link Review: https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/477142/

Link to watch: https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0N599NQSJMMVTVY6ZOZ4DJNHEX/ref=dvm_src_ret_it_xx_s (Italy)

Detailed Summary: The Reffi Family and the Arrival of the Thieves

The Island of Idealists is set in the 1960s and revolves around the Reffi family, who live in isolation in a villa on an island in the Venetian lagoon.

• The family's tranquility is shattered by the arrival of two young thieves, Beatrice (Elena Radonicich) and Guido (Renato De Simone), who break into their home to escape the police.

• They are discovered by the head of the family, former orchestra conductor Antonio (Renato Carpentieri), and his son Celestino (Tommaso Ragno), a former doctor with a great passion for philosophy.

• Celestino, with the help of his sister Carla (Michela Cescon), a writer, proposes a daring pact to the two thieves: if they agree to live with them and undergo a re-education program based on art and culture, they will not be reported.

• What begins as a utopian bet by the Reffi family turns into an intricate psychological game. The two young thieves, seemingly submissive, begin to challenge the certainties of their "re-educators," exposing the tensions, frustrations, and hypocrisies within the family itself.

• The narrative unfolds as a sophisticated chamber drama, where dialogues, silences, and interactions between the characters reveal hidden secrets and desires. The story explores how the idealism of the Reffi family clashes with the cynicism and human nature of the two thieves.

Director's Vision: A Film of Art and Literature

Elisabetta Sgarbi wanted to create a film that was both a tribute to Giorgio Scerbanenco's original novel and a cinematic work of art in its own right.

• The director sought to maintain the novel's suspended and literary atmosphere, using careful cinematography and a deliberately "old-fashioned" visual style to reflect the setting and timeless themes.

• The film is a "non-place" where art and culture, represented by the villa's art objects and library, clash with the brutality of the outside world.

• Sgarbi's direction aims to bring out the complexity of the characters through their speech, gestures, and glances, rather than through action. Her intention is to make the audience reflect on the meaning of "idealism" in a disillusioned society.

Themes: Utopianism, Classism, and the Illusion of Redemption

The Island of Idealists explores a series of complex and fascinating themes:

• The Clash Between Idealism and Reality: The film stages a conflict between the almost utopian idealism of the Reffi family and the harsh reality of the two young thieves, who are unable or unwilling to be "saved."

• Power and Control Dynamics: Celestino and Carla, while acting with seemingly noble intentions, exert strong control over the two thieves, raising the question of whether their re-education is truly an act of altruism or an exercise in intellectual power.

• Latent Classism: The narrative subtly explores the conflict between the bourgeois, intellectual class of the Reffis and their perception of the two thieves, who are seen as "material" to be molded to their standards.

• Human Nature: The film suggests that a person's nature cannot be changed by external imposition, and that true changes are internal and often painful processes.

Key Success Factors: An Exceptional Cast and a Valuable Literary Subject

• Stellar Cast: The film's critical success is largely due to the extraordinary performances of its cast, which includes leading names in Italian cinema such as Tommaso Ragno, Elena Radonicich, Renato Carpentieri, and Michela Cescon. Their refined and intense acting has been highly praised by critics.

• Literary Adaptation: The film draws its strength from Giorgio Scerbanenco's novel, a lost and rediscovered work that adds an element of fascination and mystery to the story. The adaptation successfully maintained the psychological depth of the original characters.

• Festival Success: Its participation in the 2024 Rome Film Festival in the "Progressive Cinema Competition" section gave the film immediate visibility and helped establish its prestige.

Awards and Nominations: A Niche Festival Success

The Island of Idealists was presented in competition at the 2024 Rome Film Festival, where it received an excellent reception. Although there are no reports of major international awards, its presence in such a prestigious competition and critical praise have confirmed its quality and artistic value.

Critics Reception: A Refined but Challenging Film

Reviews for The Island of Idealists are generally positive, but they also highlight its challenges.

• Film critics, such as those from Mymovies.it and Cineuropa, have praised Elisabetta Sgarbi's direction for its "intellectual elegance" and "authorial gaze." They lauded the cast for their impeccable performances.

• Some reviews, like the one on FilmTV.it, noted a "deliberately old-fashioned" style that, while appreciated, might feel slow to some viewers. The film was described as "literary" and "aloof," suggesting it is aimed at an audience that appreciates more reflective and less action-oriented cinema.

• In summary, critics consider it a high-quality film with a strong artistic and literary impact, but one that is not for everyone.

Why to Watch This Movie: A Cinematic Art House Experience

• Memorable Performances: The film offers masterly performances from an elite cast, especially Tommaso Ragno, whose portrayal of Celestino has been highly praised.

• A Visual Work of Art: Elisabetta Sgarbi's direction creates a unique and visually fascinating atmosphere, a true moving picture.

• An Intellectually Stimulating Story: The plot, based on a noir literary classic, is rich with food for thought on social and psychological themes.

• Counter-Cultural Cinema: In a cinematic landscape dominated by blockbusters, The Island of Idealists represents a courageous, high-quality choice for art house cinema.

Movie Trend: The Return of the "Chamber Drama"

The Island of Idealists fits into the growing trend in European cinema of the chamber drama, which prioritizes the intimacy of human relationships and the psychological exploration of characters over a more traditional plot. This genre focuses on a few characters in a single or limited number of locations to deeply explore their interactions and internal conflicts.

Social Trend: The Boundary Between Redemption and Idealism

The film reflects a social trend of debating the concept of redemption and the role of culture as a tool for redemption. It questions whether education and art can truly change a person and whether idealism, when pushed to an extreme, can itself become a form of coercion. The film is a metaphor for how good intentions can clash with harsh reality and social differences.

Final Verdict: An Elegant and Profound Film

Elisabetta Sgarbi's The Island of Idealists is an elegant, profound, and intellectually stimulating film. Thanks to an extraordinary cast and a highly sensitive direction, it offers a refined and unconventional cinematic experience. While it may feel slow for those seeking a faster pace, it is a recommended film for anyone who desires a work that encourages reflection and gives space to the power of words and acting performances. It is a film that celebrates the power of literature to tell life's stories, even decades later.