Purple Sea
theatrical release poster
Directed byDonatella Maiorca
Written byDonatella Maiorca, Pina Mandolfo, Mario Cristiani, Donatella Diamanti
Based onMinchia di re
by Giacomo Pilati
Produced byMaria Grazia Cucinotta, Giovanna Emidi, Silvia Natili, Rosanna Thau, Giulio Violati
Starring
CinematographyRoberta Allegrini
Edited byMarco Spoletini
Music byGianna Nannini
Production
company
Italian Dreams Factory
Release date
  • October 2009 (2009-10)
Running time
105 minutes
CountryItaly
LanguageItalian

Purple Sea (Italian: Viola di mare) is a 2009 Italian romance drama film directed by Donatella Maiorca. It is based on the non-fiction novel Minchia di re written by Giacomo Pilati. The film premiered at the 2009 Rome Film Festival.[1] It was nominated for two Nastro d'Argento Awards, for Best Actress (Valeria Solarino) and Best Original Song ("Sogno" by Gianna Nannini).[2]

Plot summary

The film tells the love story between Angela and Sara in 19th-century Sicily (circa 1860, during the Expedition of the Thousand). To survive the scandal, Angela's family winds up passing her off as a boy, going so far as to alter her birth certificate. Angela cuts her hair short and hides her own femininity, in defiance of the mentality of the place.

Production

Produced by the Italian Dreams Factory, with the support of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and the Region of Sicily. The movie, filmed in San Vito Lo Capo, Trapani, and Favignana, was shown at the 2009 Rome Film Festival and distributed to theaters on October 16, 2009.

Meaning of the title

Coris julis, Tyrrhenian Sea

The film's title refers to the Sicilian name of the Mediterranean rainbow wrasse (Coris julis), a protogynous fish that is born female and turns male as it grows older.

The Viola (violet) is a fish and God has willed it. When it is male it is called Minchia di Re (king's penis). For love it becomes female and has the colors of the flower. It turns male again after the water has taken its eggs.[3]

Reception

The film won two awards at the 2009 New Italian Cinematic Events festival: the Città di Firenze Award for best film and the Susan Batson Award for best actress, Valeria Solarino in the role of Angela. The N.I.C.E. festival, run by Viviana del Bianco, represents the most important festival of Italian cinema in America, with showings in New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.[4] At the International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival of Bilbao in 2011, Valeria Solarino won the award for best actress and Isabella Ragonese received special mention.[5] Viola di mare won the 2009 Capri Peace Award.[6] The film was nominated for the Marc'Aurelio d'Oro for best film at the Rome Film Festival. It was an official selection at the 2010 San Francisco Frameline Film Festival.[7]

A screenshot from the film

Cast

See also

References

  1. ^ Claudia Mormoglione (16 October 2009). "Valeria e Isabella, amore proibito E così una "lei" diventa "lui"..." La Repubblica. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  2. ^ "Nastri d'Argento - tutte le cinquine". La Repubblica. 27 April 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  3. ^ Pilati, Giacomo (2004). Minchia di re. Milan: Ugo Mursia Editore. ISBN 9788842544203. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  4. ^ "The Awards". NICE Festival: New Italian Cinema events. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  5. ^ "Gay Fest Bilbao, premiato Viola di mare". ANSA.it (in Italian). Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata. February 1, 2011. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  6. ^ Uiallalla (December 8, 2009). "Capri: Un premio contro l'omofobia a "Viola di mare"". Napoli Gay Press (in Italian). Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  7. ^ Roach, Holly (2010). "World Cinema/The Sea Purple". Frameline. San Francisco: www.frameline.org (34): 50. Retrieved January 8, 2018.

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