La Chimera on Arte: Josh O’Connor among Alice Rohrwacher’s tomb raiders

La Chimère arrives on Arte with a character whose gift is used to steal traces of the past. Arthur, played by Josh O’Connor, reunites in Italy with a gang of tombaroli, tomb raiders in search of Etruscan treasures. He can detect underground cavities where relics may lie.

This quest to find buried objects is coupled with a more intimate absence: Arthur remains attached to the memory of Beniamina, the love he lost. Carol Duarte and Isabella Rossellini surround him in this film by Alice Rohrwacher, which screened in competition at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. The director of Happy as Lazzaro continues to tell an Italian story set between subsistence living and ancient heritage.

In its review published when the film was released, Sortiraparis highlighted an “out-of-time” character and a poetic film with a distinctive atmosphere. The review also voiced clear reservations about the pacing, particularly the third act, which was deemed almost superfluous: an enjoyable escape, though its meaning could seem unclear.

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For more, check out our selection of films, series and shows to watch on TV this week, our guide to new releases across all platforms, and today’s selection, What to Watch on Streaming Today.

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