Genova (2008)

Director:

Michael Winterbottom

Writers:

Laurence Coriat (screenplay)
Michael Winterbottom (screenplay)

Release Date:

27 March 2009 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A man moves his two daughters to Italy after their mother dies in a car accident, in order to revitalize their lives. Genova changes all three of them as the youngest daughter starts to see the ghost of her mother, while the older one discovers her sexuality. |

Plot Keywords:

Italy | Ghost | Genoa Italy | Mother Daughter Relationship | Feelings Of Guilt

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Monica Bennati	...	Elena
Dante Ciari	...	Fabio
Gherardo Crucitti	...	Mauro
Hope Davis	...	Marianne
Colin Firth	...	Joe
Alessandro Giuggioli	...	Lorenzo
Demetri Goritsas	...	Steve
Kyle Griffin	...	Scott
Perla Haney-Jardine	...	Mary
Willa Holland	...	Kelly
Catherine Keener	...	Barbara
Kieran O'Brien
Margherita Romeo	...	Rosa
Gabriella Santinelli	...	Danny's Wife
Kerry Shale	...	Stephen
Sara Stewart	...	Susanna
Trevor White	...	Michael
Gary Wilmes	...	Dan

Runtime:

Canada:94 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

UK

Language:

Italian | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:15A | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Portugal:M/12 | Netherlands:12 | Finland:K-11 | South Korea:15 | UK:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Camogli, Genoa, Liguria, Italy

Company:

Revolution Films

Goofs:

Factual errors: On their way from the airport, when they pass in the car in front of a fresco of Saint George fighting against the dragon, Ms. Keener says that Saint George is the Saint Patron of Genova. Now, it's true that Saint George has a strong link to the history of the city: the banner bears the cross of Saint George, in the middle ages the Bank which funded expeditions overseas (by the way it's the building that shows the fresco seen in the movie) was named after Saint George etc. but the Patron of Genova, since XIII century, is John the Baptist and he came to be after Genoese crusaders (First crusade) brought back from Holy Land his ashes, which are still kept in the Cathedral.

i have to passionately disagree with the first review!

I am aware that different people get different reactions to different films, but your view of the film is very wrong. I am in the midsts of a very difficult bereavement and this film has depicted exactly how this process feels. I honestly believe that Winterbottom's aim was to show the unexpected shocking emotions, the despair, the confusion, the craved for hallucinations. The characters may seem one dimensional, because in times like this you don't have strength to have more dimensions. The fact that nothing happens in the film... hasn't enough happened already? This is an observation of a situation in a family's life, and this is how the director chose to depict it and he chose very wisely. Not every film needs a conventional narrative and not every film needs an unexpected twist. Sometimes,like in this instance, film needs disturbingly slow pace and lingering images to show its purpose.