THE UNKNOWN WOMAN (LA SCONOSCIUTA)
ITALY, 2006
Running Length: 125
minutes
Cast: Xenia Rappoport, Michele Placido, Claudia Gerini,
Margherita Buy, Alessandro Haber,
Piera Degli Esposti
Director: Giuseppe Tornatore
Screenplay: Giuseppe
Tornatore & Massimo De Rita
Cinematography: Fabio
Zamarion
Definitely the best film to have been screened in the 2008
Italian Film Festival, and winner of a swag of Italian Oscars, La Sconoscuita
is a very different film from the director who brought us the whimsical Cinema Paradiso. In a sprawling Italian city we meet Irena who has fled
from Eastern Europe. The journey
has been arduous, often painful and humiliating. Irena has been scarred by her experiences but she holds fast
to her one happy memory (of a lost love) and throws herself into finding a new
life.
She manages to convince a doorman to help her find work as a
cleaner in the apartment building across from where she has chosen to
live. She has become obsessed with
one of the building’s occupants and spends hours spying from her own
window. Eventually gaining access
to the object of her obsession, the truth about Irena’s fascination with the
Adacher family becomes apparent and her past catches up with her.
There are so many layers of secrets in this film that to
write anything more would be to give them away. Owing much to both Hitchcock
and Kubrick, this is a fascinating, frightening and superbly crafted thriller
that will leave you clutching the edge of your seat.
Sounds comparable to a couple of movies I've seen.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you need to be patient to unravel all the secrets in this movie. I think it's cool that someone's name is Xenia. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a really interesting movie! I should write it up on my list.
ReplyDeleteThat last part sounds especially interesting.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I really want to see this one. I hope I can find it somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI really love that you're introducing all of us to foreign films and indie films, and not sticking to Hollywood stuff.It makes your entries something I look forward to :)
ReplyDelete