"Parthenope" Paolo Sorrentino's painting of the city of Naples, sprinkled with Fellini's signature

*This article touches on the core of the story, so please be careful if you have not seen the movie.

Synopsis of "Parthenope"

In 1950, a baby was born in Naples, southern Italy, and was named "Partenope," after the mermaid and the city of Naples. Beautiful and intelligent, Partenope shared a deep bond with her brother, Raimondo. As she grew older and met new people, Partenope transformed into a more beautiful woman. However, the more she glowed, the more her brother's loneliness became apparent. And then, that summer, her brother chose to take his own life... The beauty that had brought her happiness turned into a blade that brought tragedy to those she loved. But Partenope continued to walk the path of life, and at the end of her endless quest for love and freedom, she arrived at...

Index

• Naples, sprinkled with Fellini's signature
• Partenope, the child of Naples
• Light and Shadow in Naples
• Paolo Sorrentino's attempt at Neapolitan expression

Naples, sprinkled with Fellini's signature

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Paolo Sorrentino, a genius director of modern Italian cinema, plays with decadent beauty and poetry with his majestic and profound images. His film " The Hand of God " (21) is still fresh in our memory, a fantastical portrayal of his own youth set in the scenic city of Naples. However, as if he hadn't quite captured the city of Naples, he delved even deeper into Naples with his next masterpiece, "Parthenope" (24), which recorded his highest box office revenue in his home country of Italy.

"What is Naples?" This vague and elusive question is once again posed to us by the film "Parthenope." Here, I would like to explain what this film depicts, following the order of the story.

The film is being produced by Saint Laurent Productions, the fashion brand Saint Laurent's first full-scale film production. In recent years, John Galliano of Maison Margiela attempted to combine film and fashion show before stepping down, but Saint Laurent's latest attempt goes even further, going even further into film itself, with the brand's creative director, Anthony Vaccarello, in charge of costume art direction.

"Parthenope" ©2024 The Apartment Srl - Numero 10 Srl - Pathé Films - Piperfilm Srl

The film begins with a successful shipping businessman known as "The Admiral" transporting an antique carriage across the Bay of Naples. The Baroque carriage, with its bizarre combination with the port cityscape beyond the beautiful waves, is a spectacular sight. The work, created from scratch by art directors Saverio Samari and Melania Santucci, is an iconic presence within the film.

The transport of a huge object brings to mind a scene from Italian master director Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita (1960). Like many of Sorrentino's previous works, this one is also peppered with elements of Fellini films. Once again, it's a "Fellini" film from start to finish. I'll be pointing out every detail, so be prepared.

Partenope, the child of Naples