Parthenope

The new film from Academy Award-winner Paolo Sorrentino (The Great Beauty, Youth, The New Pope) Parthenope is a visually and aurally stunning, decades-spanning romantic drama about a Neapolitan woman named after the mythical siren who once lent her name to the city of Naples. In 1950, near the Bay of Naples, young Parthenope is born in the Mediterranean Sea, just outside the crumbling castle where she will spend her childhood. As the summers pass, Parthenope (portrayed by breakout star Celeste Dalla Porta) grows into a statuesque and intellectually captivating young woman. She soon learns to navigate the complexities of an emotionally volatile family, the attention of boys, and the expectations of academia, studying under her anthropology professor (Silvio Orlando). An intoxicating reflection on objectification, and the way people see themselves and others, Sorrentino provocatively shifts between the sacred and the profane. With gasp-worthy visuals from award-winning cinematographer Daria D’Antonio (THE HAND OF GOD) and fashion design by Saint Laurent, PARTHENOPE is a spectacular, challenging and immersive experience.

Born in Naples in 1970, Paolo Sorrentino is a writer and director. He is known for visually striking and complex dramas including Loro (IFF19), Oscar-nominated Youth (2015) and The Hand of God (2021), HBO series The Young Pope (2016) and The New Pope (2019), and the critically acclaimed The Great Beauty (2013) winner of the 2014 Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film.