TRAILERS

Trace Lysette in First Trailer for 'Monica' from the Venice Film Festival

by Alex Billington
September 12, 2022
Source: YouTube

"She didn't recognize me…" "Well, did you expect her to?" One of the best discoveries of the 2022 Venice Film Festival this year is a film titled Monica, an understated family drama made by an Italian filmmaker even though it takes place entirely in California with an English-language cast. It's an intimate portrait of a woman who returns home to care for her dying mother. A delicate and nuanced story of a fractured family, the story explores universal themes of abandonment, aging, acceptance, and redemption. It's also an LGBTQ story but they're not trying to focus on that as it's part of the reveal in the film. The very talented Trace Lysette stars as Monica, with a cast including Patricia Clarkson, Emily Browning, Adriana Barraza, and Joshua Close. This is a very quiet, intimate, sensitive film that will connect deeply with some viewers. The nuanced performance by Trace Lysette is the authentic core of what makes the film especially moving.

Here's the first promo trailer (+ poster) for Andrea Pallaoro's Monica, direct from YouTube:

Monica is an intimate portrait of a woman who returns home after a long absence to confront the wounds of her past. Reconnecting with her mother and the rest of her family for the first time since leaving as a teenager, Monica embarks on a path of healing and acceptance. The film delves into Monica’s internal world and state of mind, her pain and fears, her needs and desires, to explore the universal themes of abandonment and forgiveness. Monica is directed by Italian filmmaker Andrea Pallaoro, director of the films Medeas and Hannah previously, as well as one other short film. The screenplay is written by Andrea Pallaoro and Orlando Tirado. This just premiered at the 2022 Venice Film Festival earlier this month. The film is still seeking US distribution - no release dates are set yet. Stay tuned for updates. Who's interested?

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