Armchair Escapism 21

BOOKS

The Lovers, Paolo Cognetti

Fausto has been living in the bustling and chaotic Milan until a painful heartbreak prompts him to flee to Fontana Fredda, a tiny village in the Italian Alps in the midst of its ski season. Comforted by its stark contrast to city life and intrigued by the locals, he settled into his new existence working as a chef in a restaurant. There, he falls for a waitress, Silvia and they strike up an overwhelming relationship only for it to be cut short when the ski season ends. Fausto’s return to Milan proves dissatisfying and numbing and as he comes to the realisation that he should not have left his love in the mountains, he may be too late to retrieve it.

The Maias, José Maria de Eça de Queiroz 

Set in 19th century Portugal, The Maias follows the story of wealthy and handsome Carlos Maia who, though kind and affable, has succumbed to idle living. Though he wants to make his family - in particular his grandfather proud - Carlos prefers riding, reading, attending the theatre and seducing women. However, a shocking twist in the novel changes the entire course of Carlos’ life where he must navigate a moral dilemma. The author, Eça de Queiroz, is a venerated writer in his native Portugal but is little known beyond. His works are equally entertaining as they are detailed observations of the Portuguese elite. 

Cathedral of the Sea, Ildefonso Falcones 

Set in 14th-century Barcelona, this historical epic traces the life and times of Arnau Estanyol, a serf who escapes the clutches of his miserable existence. He wrenches his way out of his position of poverty to one of extreme wealth, while at the same time the Santa Maria del Mar Church is being constructed. The man and the edifice rise together, and neither course runs smoothly. Arnau must face the challenges of betrayal, love, the historic Inquisition, and the injustices of Spain and feudal law.

FILMS

Conte d’ete (A Summer’s Tale)
Directed by the legendary Éric Rohmer - titan of French New Wave Cinema - A Summer’s Tale follows the story of charming and shy Gaspard on holiday in Dinard. Three different women fall for the handsome youth’s aloof nature and Gaspard becomes more romantically entangled with each. His fatal flaw? Struggling to choose between them. Scenes of the film are captured beautifully, honing in on the nostalgia of summer love, carefree living by the coast, and that feeling of being young where every emotion, both happy and painful, is heightened to the extreme. 

Lisbon

In vibrant Lisbon of the 1950s, Captain Robert John Evans makes a living by smuggling consumer goods and contraband with his fast boat. He is then tasked with a more extraordinary assignment of sneaking an incarcerated fellow American out of communist-controlled territory behind the Iron Curtain. The mission is as difficult as it sounds with multiple twists ensuing when the prisoner’s seducive wife becomes involved. With rich and sumptuous costumes standing strikingly against the backdrop of Lisbon’s own technicolour palette, Lisbon is old-world Hollywood glamour at its finest, cheesiest and most comforting. As the first Hollywood film to be completely set and filmed in Portugal, it’s a thrilling watch also for its place in the historical film canon.

La Grazia

The latest masterpiece by Paolo Sorrentino where he reunites with actor, Toni Servillo who also starred in ‚The Great Beauty.‘ In ‚La Grazia‘ there are less party scenes on Roman rooftops but just as much sobering and profound exploration of humanity. Servillo plays the role of a widowed Italian president about to step down from his position of power. Before doing so he must decide whether to pass a bill on euthanasia legislation and pardoning murderers. As he considers this decision for his country, he simultaneously shuffles with making sense of his late wife’s infidelity. In classic Sorrentino style, the visuals often take precedence over the plot itself while Servillo’s acting grounds this film in its poignancy and acclaim.