Parthenope (2024), written and directed by the prominent Italian filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino, is a film inflected by poetry and contemplative in tone. This work chronicles the life of a woman named Parthenope, starting from her childhood in Naples in the 1950s to her more reflective years. Her life’s journey serves as a point of artistic and philosophical contemplation in the film, embedded in the ever-elusive concepts of identity, memory, and the flowing river of time. Sorrentino’s style, a flexible blend of realism and dreamscape, makes the film less narrative driven and more a visitation to life’s emotional milestones.
The film marries elegant and visually rich storytelling to muster the emotional character of Naples, its beauty and contradictions and its eternal grasp on its inhabitants. Parthenope as a character is inextricably tied to the city, and both woman and city blend beautifully together.
The Story of Parthenope
The narrative opens in Naples in the 1950s, where we see the first upper-class ancestry character, Parthenope. Her name, which is of Greek origin, links her to the siren of the same name, who supposedly founded the city of Naples. This mythological component serves as a framing device throughout the film, allowing Parthenope to embody grace, resilience, and a mysterious aura.
Parthenope’s family dynamics, including those with her older brother and the household staff, come to light in the earlier periods of her life. Though life at this stage seems quite joyful and filled with innocent curiosity, it has a sense of wonder, and the life she sets out to imagine faces moments of change and loss in the future.
In the 1960s and 70s, Parthenope transitions from her family’s immediate orbit and begins attending university, where she studies anthropology with a reflective, soft-spoken professor. Parthenope’s academic life is transformative in igniting her passion towards learning, observation of cultures, and active participation in the intellectual world. During this period, she also begins to grapple with the challenge of defining an identity for herself, independent from the impressions other people have of her, a challenge made worse by a world where people prioritize looks.
Parthenope also tries her hand at modeling and acting, but she is quick to learn that public adoration is shallow and short-lived. After this realization, she refocuses on her studies and plunges into her intellectual and spiritual life. During this time, she also studies the longstanding traditions, religious life, and the collective memory of Naples, a city known for nurturing its people and challenging them at the same time.
We see Parthenope in the last act as a mature woman reflecting on the different stages of her life. She revisits her childhood home which has transformed with the passage of time. As she reconnects with the different people and places which have played crucial roles in her life, she comes to terms with her past and accepts the many sorrows and joys which life has given her. This emerges as a quiet sense of peace.
Visual Aesthetics and Artistic Design
Known for his storytelling through visuals, Paolo Sorrentino does not disappoint with the film Parthenope, as it is one of his most visually polished works. Naples is not only a setting, it is presented as a character on its own. The narrow and cobbled streets, the seaside, the opulent interiors, and the historical landmarks are all captured with meticulous attention to detail.
Each decade in the film has a seamless transition, not through explosive moments but through a smooth and lyrical motion. The viewer is guided through time using costumes, lighting, and music, expertly blending memory with the experience of the present.
Timelessness is created with the use of natural light and gold hues, which dominate the film’s cinematography. The audience is invited to explore the setting and the flickering emotions on the characters’ faces through long, unhurried shots. The film is crafted to be a deeply meditative and emotionally resonant experience.
Themes and Analysis
- Self-Definition Beyond Outer Grace
One of the fiction film’s themes is the self-image and self-identity. While Parthenope is appreciated for her grace externally, the film challenges the admiring audience to penetrate deeper. Her journey of self-definition chooses intellect, empathy, and depth instead of admiration and shallow attention.
- Life is a Sequence of Moments
Most fundamentally, Parthenope is a reflection of time and that which it shapes—lives, relationships, and memory. Instead of following a rigid plot, the film attempts to combine various moments of Parthenope’s life into a larger emotional mosaic. It illustrates the essence of human experience, which is defined by quiet, inward moments, rather than loud, external dramas.
- The City of Naples and Self-Reflection
Parthenope’s inner self is also mirrored by the city of Naples. Some of the dynamics include at times the city is warm and inviting and at other moments it is quiet and sad. This strong bond between character and place stems from the emotional depth that makes the film distinctive. The bond is crucial for the Naples to act as a reflection.
- Reconciliation and Belonging
Parthenope’s return to Naples at the film’s end reveals her emotional return to her history. She reflects on her past, forgives its intricate layers, and embraces the totality of her journey. The final scenes suggest that peace within oneself, like paradox, does not require answers, but rather acceptance.
Performances and Direction
As her debut, Celeste Dalla Porta offers a nuanced and graceful portrayal of the adult Parthenope. Her performance is not based on elaborate movements but on quiet contemplation. The gaze, movements, and silences of Dalla Porta laced her portrayal of the different phases of her life with emotional significance.
Sorrentino, the film’s director, steers each moment with a calm and gentle approach. He allows each moment the space it needs and retains the trust of his audience to uncover meaning within the intricate. His commitment to telling Parthenope’s story softly is complemented by a passionate dedication to the subject, rendering the film deeply personal and expressive.
Conclusion
Parthenope defies the conventional tellers of a story; it does not use the standard drama template. Rather, it is a cinematic poem and a reflective, elegant, and visually rich contemplation of a life, with its quiet unfolding across thoughts, multiplicities of love, and the act of returning. The film encourages the viewer to observe, to listen not just to the characters, but to the silences that accentuate them.
The film’s calm demeanor conceals a wealth of emotion. It seeks neither drama nor action. Rather, it seeks comprehension within a city’s memory, its people’s memories, individual development, and the memories of the city’s ongoing ability to motivate.
Parthenope, at the end, evokes the thought that every individual’s life is, actually, a narrative. It can be disorganized, and at times, it can be indistinct, but without a doubt, it is always filled with the aesthetic of reminiscences. It is also worth noting that through the film, we’re reminded that genuine tranquility is not the product of lacking in imperfections, but instead the acceptance of the many things that makes us, us.
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