La Chimera is a movie directed by Alice Rohrwacher starring Josh O’Connor. With Carol Duarte, Vincenzo Nemolato and Isabella Rossellini.
“La Chimera” is one of those movies that, right from the start, is special and beloved for being so: it’s eccentric, poetic, and a full-on tribute to Italian cinema and Italy itself, along with its rich history.
Its premise is simple, yet complex: a gang of antique and tomb thieves. Meanwhile, our protagonist is in search of his “chimera”, something deep within, something we strive to do, seek without knowing we’re seeking, and in the process, makes us human.
Here’s a heads up: it has traveled half of Europe and part of North America, basking in praise for its poetry and lyricism, and its director is already a phenomenon among newer directors.
Indeed, Alice Rohrwacher has become a shining star of European cinema in recent years.
About the Movie
It may enchant you, as it has done to many, or it may be one of those films that are destined to please only festival-goers, leaving the broader public somewhat open-mouthed, puzzled and thinking, “what’s this about?” Yes, “La Chimera” is one of those Italian movies that exudes the charm of that wonderful cinema of the 50s or 60s, with Fellini at the forefront or, in a completely different vein, Rossellini himself.
By the way, his famously renowned daughter, Isabella, makes an appearance.
This is a work about History, about archaeology, and, above all, about mythology and poetry, a movie that transforms the mundane into an ode to the divine and turns this divinity almost into a comedy. However, it doesn’t rely on grand dialogues or pretension or grandiosity in its cinematography: it narrates something highly poetic in a familiar manner, often through handheld camera shots, avoiding the contrivance of complex angles and opting for a poetry that seeks naturalness over the grandiose.
“La Chimera” primarily displays the excellent trait of being unique without being excessively complicated, forced, or overwrought. A story about time, civilization, and dreams that, whether real or illusory, crumble and are built a little with every step taken by the characters in this work that, we warn you, may either enchant or alienate you with its poetic, visceral, and unique sincerity.
