Corpo Celeste (2012)

80% of critics liked it
(10 reviews)
40% want to see it
(95 ratings)

Having recently returned to her native Italy after living in Switzerland for 10 years, quiet but curious 13-year-old Marta is left to her own devices while her loving but worn-out mother toils away at an industrial bakery. Marta's only source of socialization is the local church, where she is told… More Having recently returned to her native Italy after living in Switzerland for 10 years, quiet but curious 13-year-old Marta is left to her own devices while her loving but worn-out mother toils away at an industrial bakery. Marta's only source of socialization is the local church, where she is told to attend preparatory classes for her confirmation. But the doctrines of Roman Catholicism offer little in terms of life lessons or consolation, and she quickly sees through the hypocrisy of the priest, who cares more about status than about his constituents. Eventually, Marta forges her very own way of the cross, which turns out to have much less to do with God than with her own climb towards adulthood.

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: Alice Rohrwacher
Written By: Alice Rohrwacher
Genres: Documentary, Drama, Faith & Spirituality, Art House & International, Special Interest

In Theaters: Jun 8, 2012 Limited
On DVD: Nov 6, 2012
Studio: Film Movement

Critic Reviews

Philip French, Observer [UK]
There are moments that suggest the director might do something better next time.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
An accomplished debut.
Nigel Andrews, Financial Times
Neither lights a fuse to our brains or hearts.
Cath Clarke, Time Out
Vianello gives a lovely, unforced performance as Marta, who begins to see that the blue-eyed, open-armed fuzzy Jesus she's being sold is a fake.
David Parkinson, Empire Magazine
Quietly compelling, the cerebral slice of social realism is well worth hunting down.
Hannah McGill, The List
The film makes neat if familiar associations between Catholic ritual and sexual identity, and between religion and civic corruption.
Tom Dawson, Total Film
Corpo Celeste's acute sense of place, feel for adolescent confusion and miraculous resolution suggest that Rohrwacher is a talent to watch.
Sherwyn Spencer, Little White Lies
Rich, heady filmmaking that employs small strokes on a huge canvas.
Jaime N. Christley, Slant Magazine
Alice Rohrwacher's debut feature exhibits the sort of mannerisms a certain stripe of cinephile tends to dread, on or off the festival circuit.