2015 | 124 min | Drama | Italy, Switzerland | English

CAST Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz, Paul Dano, Mark Kozelek, Mark Gessner, Sonia Gessner, Jane Fonda

Michael Caine is Fred Ballinger, a retired Composer, who joins his film director friend Mick Boyle (Harvey Keitel) in a Swiss Alpine Spa. Their friendship is touching and hilariously drawn as they discuss love, life, art and their increasingly less active prostates. An emissary from Buckingham Palace arrives to invite the Composer to perform for the Queen, but Ballinger refuses. The resort is populated by colourful characters interpreted by prestigious actors in highly amusing scenarios. Sorrentino is known for his technical sophistication, and here, every frame is composed with a visual and musical sensibility that elevates him to the very elite of contemporary cinema. It is obvious why he is so often compared to Fellini, and here, the Spa setting and existential crisis are clearly a homage to 8 ½. It was Sorrentino’s second English-language film, and it is executed with philosophy, humour, and exquisite craft, a treat for those seeking an English-language film at the Italian Festival.

A breathtaking, soul-stirring masterpiece about life, love, and legacy

Rolling Stone

WINNER

Best Film. European Film Awards

WINNER

Best Director. European Film Awards

WINNER

Best Director. Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists

WINNER

Best Cinematography. Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists

WINNER

Best Actor. Michael Caine. European Film Awards