“You’re not meant to be seen by human eyes.”
Certain memories can haunt the human mind. This aspect of human consciousness can result in a longing or yearning whether it’s for purpose in life or lost love. But especially, a lingering for the past.
This element is seen in “La Chimera,” the most recent film from Italian filmmaker Alice Rohrwacher which premiered in competition at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
Taking place in 1980s Italy, “La Chimera” follows Arthur, an English archaeologist recently released from prison who comes back into contact with his tombaroli (an Italian term referring to tomb raiders) — his gang of tomb raiders/grave robbers (with Arthur being dubbed by them as Maestro at one point while he is locating a tomb, during a scene in the first act). Arthur has garnered a reputation for his gift of miraculously locating ancient tombs that date back to the age of the Etruscans — which is accomplished through a dowsing twig and visions he has (known as “chimeras”). He and his gang earn money by looting them and selling the finds to a mysterious art dealer named Spartaco. Arthur is also haunted by memories of Beniamina, his ex-girlfriend, who has been missing for several years.
As Arthur, Josh O’Connor embodies this role, especially showing it through his yearning eyes that are haunted by his past. It is a brilliantly restrained performance that feels like it was pulled out of the New Hollywood era. His performance is showcased through scenes that portray his intense reluctance to return to tomb raiding (as seen during an Epiphany celebration sequence in the first act) and when he says the line, “You’re not meant to be seen by human eyes,” while gazing into the head of a statue.
Isabella Rossellini has a supporting role in the film as Flora, Beniamina’s mother, who constantly helps out Arthur and is also the teacher of Italia (Carol Duarte), an aspiring music student who Flora is instead using as a maid.
Alice Rohrwacher, the director and writer of the film, crafts a hallucinatory experience by blending magic realism with a period piece, resulting in a truly original piece of cinema. She utilizes various film techniques to advance the narrative such as a montage showcasing Arthur and his gang of tombaroli pillaging a plethora of tombs throughout the Italian countryside in the second act. This sequence is paired with a ballad, Ottave Sui Tombaroli, sung by a troubadour and guitarist (Valentino Santagati), with a triangle player (Piero Crucitti) segmenting the ballad, both illustrating Arthur’s life in the tombaroli and advancing the plot — a recurring element throughout the film. Rohrwacher draws parallels between digging up ancient artifacts from the past and lingering on memories of the past in various parts of the film, such as a scene in the third act demonstrating this exact aspect. Taking place on a train, Arthur becomes haunted by a hallucination of previous clients interrogating him about their grave goods that were promised.
Complimenting the film’s storyline is the gorgeous cinematography captured by Hélène Louvart with Louvart shooting on Kodak film, specifically utilizing a beautiful blend of both 16mm and 35mm film. This results in a distinctive framing throughout the film with film grains at the corners of the frame (a visual representation of a memory, almost being reminiscent of vintage home movies). An example of a spectacular shot that she captures is a wide tracking shot of Arthur and one of his associates driving towards the town of Riparbella in the first act with the song Vado Al Massimo by Vasco Rossi serving as the soundtrack for this sequence.
Another standout aspect of the film is its soundtrack which includes pieces from compositions by Mozart and Giuseppe Verdi, as well as tracks like Spacelab by the pioneering German electronic group Kraftwerk.
With “La Chimera,” Alice Rohrwacher delivers a fantastic piece of arthouse cinema that is, at times, hallucinatory. With a stellar leading performance from Josh O’Connor, a distinct and creative visual style and an engaging story, it is truly one of the most original and outstanding films of the decade so far.
Lost love carries a heavy weight.
“La Chimera” is available for streaming on Hulu and for purchase on Blu-ray.
