ALONG THE RIDGE
****1/2 out of *****

Reviewed by Root

Screening in the 12th Cathay Pacific Italian Film Festival
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Genres
Drama

2006
Directed by
Kim Rossi Stuart
Written by
Linda Ferri
Francesco Giammusso
Kim Rossi Stuart     
Federico Starnone
Cast
Barbora Bobulova     ...     Stefania Benetti
Stefano Busirivici    ...     Barzelli
Alberto Mangiante    ...     Regista
Alessandro Morace    ...     Tommaso 'Tommi' Benetti
Marta Nobili    ...     Viola Benetti
Tommaso Ragno        
Kim Rossi Stuart    ...     Renato Benetti

Along the Ridge was one of those films that I had to be talked into seeing. To be honest, when I first looked at the festival programme, I barely read the synopsis. Despite this, I found it to be my pick of the festival, and one of the best films that I have seen to explore the issues of a dysfunctional family. Now I just hope I can talk you into seeing it too.

The protagonist of the film is 11 year-old Tommi who lives with his father, a camerman whose temper often gets the better of him and his sister, with whom he shares a room. They have a volatile family dynamic. Renato is clearly a passionate person, but is quick to go from passion to rage if things do not appear to be going how he believes they should. This not only causes problems for him in his work, but also between himself and his children.

While Viola is happy to play along with her father's wishes, Tommi struggles to please his father while also pleasing himself. This manifests primarily in Renato's desire for Tommi to be a champion swimmer. While Tommi has the talent to be a successful swimmer, his dream is to play football. As if this pressure wasn't enough for him, the return of his mother and the fear that she will leave again causes him to retreat into himself as a defence mechanism. Eventually Tommi is forced to choose between his own happiness or trying to live the life his father wants for him. The result is a gripping film, where the balance between give and take that exists in all families tips back and forward as it strives for an uneasy equilibrium.

In contrast to the Hollywood ideal, this film is moving for its portrayal of real characters, whose love for each other allows them to smooth over their differences and overlook each other's flaws. So much of the communication that goes between the characters is not reliant on words, but on body language and what is left unsaid. Because of this, the film is universally accessible, and I strongly urge you to see it if you have the chance.

Please refer to the Italian Film Festival homepage for the fesatival for more information