La Chimera

La Chimera beautifully captures the countryside of southern Italy and Spain in the 1980s, along with the people and their connection to cultural heritage.

The story follows Arthur, haunted by the loss of his beloved Beniamina, as he turns to illegal tomb raiding to cope with his grief. The "chimera" symbolizes his unreachable desires, reflecting a longing for what he cannot have.

The film critiques the commodification of history, where sacred artifacts are sold on the black market, while also highlighting the fragility of human connections and the role of cultural heritage in shaping identity.

It’s a must-watch for a truly memorable experience!

I appreciate what Rohrwacher is attempting here, and there are indeed plenty of iconic moments and beautiful images, especially in the second half. However, the film as a whole feels uneven, indulging too much in its own ideas while lacking that pinch of personality that would have elevated it beyond a mere homage to the past of Italian cinema. Sometimes dazzling, sometimes plain boring. Reducing the runtime by at least thirty minutes would have resulted in a much more entertaining experience.

Absolute beauty. A true delight for a cinephile