Partenope is a woman who bears the name of her city. Is she a mermaid or a myth? In Greek myth, Partenope is the mermaid who committed suicide after failing to cast Odysseus’ spell. Her body was carried by the tide to the place where Castel dell’Ovo now stands and for this reason she gave her name to the city that would later become Neapolis, Naples. In the film, Partenope is the incarnation of the city of Naples. Warmth Written by Peter Gregson Starring Peter Gregson, Warren Zielinski, Magdalena Filipczak, Laurie Anderson, Ashok Klouda. A little disappointed by his last film THE HAND OF GOD, with PARTENOPE I was reminded of what had touched me so much in Sorrentino’s films. Everything is beautiful, from the city of Naples and its pristine water to the still unknown goddess Celeste da Porta. Add to that the Fellini-esque shots and the wonderful jazz soundtrack by Lele Marchitelli and you have perfection. The beauty of life in its insignificance… You might think he’s making another GREAT BEAUTY, but that’s not the case. Sorrentino manages to surprise us once again, with a new way of approaching what is – ultimately – the same subject. The film asks questions without ever answering, as if to say that we should simply stop looking for answers and start observing the beauty of the world for what it is. As a result, the viewer leaves the cinema not with answers, but with an interesting vision of life and, ultimately, death… Oh, and I almost forgot, the film stars Gary Oldman. Although his screen time is limited, he manages to pull out a wonderful performance. Then he withdraws, as if he were urging us to enjoy the film that convinced us (with his presence in the cast) to go and see. So I know it won’t be for everyone – some scenes are quite weird I must admit – but for me, this movie gave me everything I expected (and didn’t expect) when I entered the theater. I sincerely hope/think it will win the Palme d’Or. Thanks Paolo 😉