Roberto Faenza Movies
- 2007
Master director Roberto Faenza (Sostiene Pereira) returns to the screen with this adaptation of Michal Viewegh's novel Pripad Neverne Klary. The tale opens in early 21st century Prague, Czech Republic, where a gifted young musician grows plagued by feelings of jealousy and possessiveness, and the neurosis that his gorgeous girlfriend Klara is cheating on him. He hires a private detective to spy on Klara, but this accidentally triggers a string of misunderstandings, bizarre accidents and calamities that will permanently change the lives of both partners. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claudio Santamaria, Iain Glen, (more)
- 2003
Roberto Faenza's historical drama The Soul Keeper is a biopic of Sabina Spielrein. The family of depressed 19-year-old Sabina (Emilia Fox) takes her for treatment from Carl Jung (Iain Glen), whose radical approach to mental health was much derided in 1904. The treatment is successful, but the two eventually engage in an affair that displeases Carl's wife (Jane Alexander). The cured Sabina moves to the Soviet Union. The film uses the framing device of a modern-day scholar investigating what happened to Sabina after her move. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Iain Glen, Emilia Fox, (more)
- 1999
Italian director Roberto Faenza creates this complex psychological drama about love and tragedy in the cultural minefield of the Middle East. Thirteen years ago, Asya (Juliet Aubrey) and Adam (Ciaran Hinds) witnessed the violent death of their three-year old son in London. Though the couple eventually moved to Tel Aviv, Asya never fully recovered from the misfortune, growing emotionally distanced from her husband and teenaged daughter Dafi (Clara Bryant). When young Frenchman Gabriel (Stuart Bunce) appears, however, Asya comes to believe that the youth is her dead child. Though Adam is simply happy that his wife is laughing again, the bond between Gabriel and Asya soon starts to navigate that disquieting gray area between parental love and carnal passion. Then, just as suddenly as he appears, he mysteriously disappears in his grandmother's old Morris, driving the utterly distraught Asya to search the ends of Israel for him. Meanwhile, Dafi falls for gentle Palestinian mechanic Na'im (Erick Vazquez), though their young love is tested by cultural misunderstandings and prejudice. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ciarán Hinds, Juliet Aubrey, (more)
- 1997
Based on an acclaimed, popular historical novel by Dacia Maraini, this 18th-century set costumer follows the adventures of a deaf-mute noblewoman who strives to escape her dark past and the social conventions that force her to remain married to a man she detests. The story begins when the already speechless title duchess is 12 years old. In hopes of shocking her back into speaking, her grandfather takes her to a hanging. The causes of Marianna's affliction are revealed slowly as the story progresses, but the whole truth is not revealed until the end. Though she is much loved by her family, they still force her to marry her ancient uncle when she is only 13. Her wedding night is horrific as is the birth of her first daughter. Her husband is desperate for an heir so she is forced to endure his unwanted attentions until she is finally able to bear him a son. Despite her oppressive life, Marianna is able to find freedom in subtle ways. She also has time to save a peasant girl from a terrible situation. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emmanuelle Laborit, Roberto Herlitzka, (more)
- 1996
This drama, set in 1938, chronicles a month in the life of the Portuguese journalist Pereira. He is first seen as a lonely, widowed, and overweight editor of the culture page of a second-rate Lisbon newspaper. Earlier in his career, he had been a news reporter. Pereira is fascinated with old literature; he is also obsessed with death. He hires himself an assistant, Monteiro Rossi, to prepare obituaries for old writers before they die. The young man and his girlfriend are both passionate fighters against the dictatorship in Portugal. They, along with a German Jewish woman, help to draw Pereira out of his dusty old books and spark his interest in the current political turmoil of Europe. Eventually they strongly encourage him to use his position to post notice of the impending dangers to the public. At their urging, Pereira is emboldened to publish his translation of an anti-German French short story. Although he sneaks it past the censors, his editor catches it and Pereira is in deep trouble. Meanwhile Rossi leaves his job to join the underground revolutionaries. Pereira keeps sending money to Rossi's girl, but he doesn't become totally committed to the cause until he meets up with the philosophical cardiologist who narrates the tale. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marcello Mastroianni
- 1993
Fuzzy memories of Anne Frank's diary sometimes cause people to forget that at the height of World War II, Nazi-occupied Amsterdam was not a safe haven for Jews. While many people in the Netherlands and elsewhere risked their lives to protect them, a great many more enthusiastically assisted the Nazis in mistreating them. This children's drama is based on the autobiographical book Kinderjaren by Jonah Oberski. Beginning with his recollections as a four-year old boy, he witnesses the increasing isolation and persecution of his Jewish family living in Amsterdam, until finally they are rounded up and sent to an internment camp. There, while his mother goes mad and his father grows increasingly ill, he is unwittingly drawn to become a member of the group of boys that help with the running of the camp. Jonah is played by two boys: Luke Petterson plays him as a young boy, and Jenner Del Vecchio plays him as an adolescent. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Juliet Aubrey, Jean-Hugues Anglade, (more)
- 1991
The Bachelor is based on a novel by Austrian author Arthur Schnitzler, of Affairs of Anatol fame. Keith Carradine stars as an unmarried doctor who prefers his will-o-the-wisp existence, avoiding any lasting relationships. Carradine is thrown for a loop when the only person whom he cares about commits suicide. Left with no frame of reference, the doctor is forced to start his life all over again-beginning with his belated sexual initiation. As superb as Carradine is in The Bachelor, his costar Miranda Richardson is absolutely stunning in a dual role. Released in Italy as Mio caro dottor Grasler in 1991, The Bachelor made it to American shores two years later. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Keith Carradine, Miranda Richardson, (more)
A New York policeman (Harvey Keitel) imprisons and tortures an admitted cop-killer (John Lydon), but finds the tables turned when his victim refuses to break and in fact urges more punishment. Highlighted is the intense interplay between the irrepressible Keitel and Lydon, the sneering frontman of the Sex Pistols as Johnny Rotten. The film is also known as Cop Killers and Order of Death. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harvey Keitel, Nicole Garcia, (more)
- 1968
The generation gap widens when a prominent industrialist father forces his ruthless corporate mentality on his hippie son. Luca feels pressure from his domineering father to follow in his footsteps. His father succeeds in shattering his youthful, idealistic nature, changing the sensitive poet into a robotic clone and preparing him to take over the family business. Dad sends the boy to a sexy female psychiatrist who brainwashes the son with sex and tempers his social acceptability through "therapy." The boy marries the doctor before succumbing to the pressures to adhere to his family's wishes. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claudine Auger, Lino Capolicchio, (more)
