Final Rating: 3.5/5
Primavera, an Italian French co-production, is director Damiano Michieletto’s musically laden tale of talent, dreams and a yearning for the freedom to realize them.
Cecelia (Tecla Isolia) is a young woman who has grown up at an orphanage in Venice, never knowing who her real parents may be. She is a talented violinist and her love of music keeps her from wanting to leave and marry a wealthy stranger, as musical pursuits would be frowned upon for a woman of such stature. She has grown up under the strong hand of the governess Priora (Fabrizia Sacchi) who we later learn was an orphan herself. The orphanage is overseen by the Governatore (Andrea Pennacchi), a man who tries to court favour among the city’s elite to keep living in a comfortable manner.
Much to his chagrin, they are losing money as the concerts they perform in the chapel each Sunday are not bringing in as much as they used to. The countess Elisabetta Parolin (Valentina Belle) informs the Governatore that her family (which given their prominence will likely entice others to follow suit) will be attending a different Sunday service, thus donating there. This will not stand with the Governatore, so they turn to outside help and bring in Vivaldi (Michele Riondino) to enrich their return.
The orchestra which comprises the young women who reside at the orphanage, are a talented bunch but his arrival pushes them to new levels they had not previously aspired to. A transcendent talent writing incredible piece after piece in very little time, though a sickly man, Vivaldi and Cecelia strike up a friendship, as he sees not just her great talent, but humility.
The two of them seem to share an understanding of what music can mean, as each has found it to be their purpose in life, and likewise a sense of melancholy at the plight that has befallen them. Vivaldi is a man of the cloth, but never seen as a particularly religious figure, as he notes that he only became a priest to honour his mother’s wishes as she prayed for him to survive his illness as a child.
The film is beautifully shot, with the costumes and decor alongside the incredible music bringing you right back to this time and place. It presents the rigid social structure of the era as much of an impediment as it remains in numerous aspects today. Cecelia is like many artists, regardless of era, who simply wants to pursue her dreams. The girls, who generally perform behind a picketed barrier so as not to be seen, get a sense of the outside world by playing concerts at the houses of the wealthy for special occasions, though are required to wear a mask when doing so. This taste of freedom weighs on Cecelia as it reinforces that she’s unable to choose her own life.
The early 18th century was also a period of upheaval in Italy, with a war ending, the time has come for Cecelia to marry Sanfermo (Stefano Accorsi). A decorated war hero, he arrives to meet her and is taken with her beauty, happy with the arrangements. Cecelia has no desire to be wed as it will mean forgoing the true love of her life, which is music. This reality is at the heart of the story as women in the era had little autonomy and the best they could expect was to marry well and live their lives as the wife of a rich man, flitting from one social function to another in an often empty existence.
Without getting too directly into spoilers, Priora is pressed into a decision, deciding whether or not to aid Cecelia. It’s clearly too late for her to choose her own path, but can she give Cecelia a chance to experience the freedom that she never had? As for Vivaldi, the film notes he died in relative poverty, and was buried in a common grave as his talents weren’t acknowledged until hundreds of years after his death when his sheet music was discovered. The performances and music in particular, are certainly captivating and incorporates enough heart in the script to make her story one that will have you rooting for her.
Primavera was seen during the 2026 International Film Festival of the Ottawa
