★★★★☆
Loosely based on Tiziano Scarpa’s novel Stabat Mater, Primavera offers a compelling portrait of music as both refuge and liberation. Through the developing bond between an orphaned violinist and Antonio Vivaldi, the film explores how artistic expression can flourish even within the constraints of eighteenth-century Venetian society.
An Official Selection at Toronto International Film Festival in 2025, Primavera is set in Venice, 1716, at the orphanage Ospedale della Pietà. The focus of the story falls on reserved Cecilia, (a powerful Tecla Insolia), who wishes desperately to be free from the refinement of her life as an orphan.
For the girls of the orphanage, music offers a rare escape from their rigid lives. They play for the city’s noblemen and women, tucked away from view, every Sunday. It isn’t until the orphanage appoints a new composer, Antonio Vivaldi (Michele Riondino), that we see the young girls become animated.
Vivaldi recognises Cecilia’s talents, confronting her to take more responsibility. Disaster looms for Cecilia, as when the war ends, she is to be married to a nobleman, which would end her days playing the violin. Cecilia’s determination to play the compositions of Vivaldi leads to a satisfying crescendo in the final act.
Insolia’s striking performance as Cecilia is immediately evident when she conveys her character’s torment through a clever use of early voice-over, reading letters to her unknown mother and questioning why she’s been abandoned. Outwardly, though, Cecilia is quiet and intentional, careful to conceal her inner turmoil.
Riondino captivates with his performance as Vivaldi, portraying a man desperate to see his talent recognised while battling a debilitating disease.
First-time feature director Damiano Michieletto has directed operas for 20 years, which is telling because the score perfectly complements the pictures throughout. It is clear he cares deeply for the music and understands how music, in the right hands, can enrich life.
The script, co-written by Michieletto and Ludovica Rampoldi, is well structured and gives space for the actors to show their range instead of overloading them with exposition. What’s left unsaid is more important.
Another interesting thread through the film is the relationship between money and art, and the way it both prevents and enables Cecilia and Vivaldi to perform.
At just under two hours, the film rarely lingers longer than necessary, moving confidently between Cecilia’s personal struggles and her artistic ambitions. The costumes and makeup feel accurate, while setting the story in antiquated Venice is a perfect place for a period piece, as nothing’s changed.
Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons is teased throughout the film, but it isn’t until the last scene that we hear it fleshed out. Primavera succeeds as a moving reflection on the transformative power of music and the courage required to pursue artistic freedom.
PRIMAVERA opens on Thursday 11 June at participating cinemas.
Website: https://rialtodistribution.com/film/primavera/
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Images by Kimberley Ross. Watch the trailer below:
Film details:
Title: Primavera
Director: Damiano Michieletto
Cast: Michele Riondino, Tecla Insolia, Fabrizia Sacchi, Andrea Pennacchi
Country of Origin: Italy
Duration: 110 mins
Rating: M
