In Italian director Piero Messina's debut film, Oscar winner Juliette Binoche stars as a mother who unexpectedly meets her son's...
In Italian director Piero Messina's debut film, Oscar winner Juliette Binoche stars as a mother who unexpectedly meets her son's fiancée at a villa and gets to know her as she waits for her son to arrive. Messina's first effort garnered him three awards at the 2015 Venice Film Festival.
"In the vast rooms of an ancient villa marked by the passing of time, Anna (Binoche), following an unexpected bereavement, spends her days in solitude... Unexpectedly, Jeanne (Lou de Laâge) arrives, a young woman who says she is the girlfriend of Anna’s son, Giuseppe. He has invited her spend a few days’ holiday together. Anna is unaware of Jeanne’s existence. And Giuseppe is not there. But all of his things are in his room. Soon he will be back, says Anna, unable to reveal the unspeakable truth. As the days go by, the two women slowly get to know each other and together they begin waiting for Easter Day, when Giuseppe will finally come home and there will be a great traditional procession in the village." (Venice Film Festival)
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Where to watch The Wait (L'attesa)
73 %40 reviewsRotten Tomatoes® rating
55 %211 reviewsAudience score rating
"A mother's grief at the loss of her son underlies this cinematically dazzling debut, though a surfeit of style and too many unanswered questions keep auds at arm's length."
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Variety
Variety"The lead actresses, like the story, work in subtle ways. There’s plenty of potency in small gestures, anecdotes and shared glances."
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The Washington Post
The Washington Post"The performances are vivid and moving, but there is ultimately less to this well-made, impeccably acted film than meets the eye. Its meticulousness is to some degree a flaw, an evasion of nearly every variety of human messiness."
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The New York Times
The New York Times"The film is well crafted and consummately acted, but it's all pretty hollow."
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The Australian
The Australian"The film is a moody and lyrical contemplation of grief and the connections that can be found within the void of loss."
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Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times"Heavy-handed but impeccably performed."
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Hollywood Reporter
Hollywood ReporterThe Wait (L'attesa) | Details
Award winner- Winner of the FEDIC Award (Messina), the Leoncino d'Oro Agiscuola Award (Messina) and the SIGNIS Award (Messina) at the 2015 Venice Film Festival.
- Rating
- M, Mature themes and brief nudity
- Runtime
- 100
- Genre
- Drama
- Country of origin
- Italy, France
