that fills all the boxes. A film based on a true story and a few memories. The movie managed to excite an old fossil like me almost effortlessly. It is first and foremost a film about love. It is also about war and second chances and, dare I say it, about serendipity.
There are only a handful of short Independent films that I have called perfect. The Story of 90 Coins is the most recent offering that managed to climb to the top of the list. At first glance The House That Stood should not work at all. But it does.
The subtitle curse
The House That Stood has subtitles. This alienates a huge percentage of the film’s potential audience. It is filmed, mostly, in black and white. There is no violence or nudity. No one utters a profane word. The pace is slow but this is necessary.
Of course many viewers will give this movie a miss when it finishes its current festival run. They will be missing out. There is hope however. Philistines can be converted to an extent.
Antonella Spirito
Antonella is the writer and director of this film. She has revealed that the movie is based on the true story of how her grandparents met. The House That Stood takes place toward the end of World War II. The Nazi soldiers are trying to stay one step ahead of the Allied Forces on their heels.
The young hesitant and potential couple are Camillo (Matteo Accardi) and Bianca (Simona Lamorgese). These two are engaged in a “one step forward, two steps back” romance. Camillo is painfully slow in his courtship efforts. Bianca does not try to push things. This is Italy in the 1940’s and the old ways are still in practice.
Spirito has made this romance film into a tale of many colours. There are quite a lot of things going on in this film. All of these glimpses make the movie feel like: A romance, a war movie, a historical featurette and last but not least; a drama.
Evacuation
As the Nazi soldiers arrive, commandeering houses and food, the townspeople attempt to carry on. Things take a turn, however, and the budding romance is interrupted. *Spirito chooses to leave out any subtitles for the Nazi’s running from the Allies. It is a splendid move as it adds to the confusion and slightly menacing air the three exude.*
Cinematography
The House That Stood is crisp and clear. Each frame exudes the best lighting possible. Bo W. Giesen is the cinematographer on this film and her work is almost faultless.
* In fact, the only thing that stood out as annoying was what appeared to be stock footage of refugees. This footage was intertwined with the main film’s black and white footage. It is a tad jarring, but it does not harm the film at all.*
Barnaby Spikings has edited this multifaceted film with a passion for complexity made simple. All the technical staff who worked on this film went above and beyond to put all the pieces together. Even if the entire project had been presented in colour it would not have dampened the feeling of authenticity. We feel we are in WWII Italy.
The cast
Trailer
The House That Stood is almost sheer perfection. I could write about this film all day. That, however, would veer into spoiler territory. Once the movie finishes its festival run you should keep an eye out for it. In fact, keep an eye out for all the folks who made this film. They have that touch. The one that makes their work worth watching.
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