Primavera
An Italian period drama set in 18th-century Venice, about the meeting between two souls in search of themselves: the talented violinist Cecilia, and composer Antonio Vivaldi. Winner of three David di Donatello Awards (the Italian Oscars).
The Ospedale della Pietà is a Venetian orphanage, famous for its all-female musical ensembles that attract visitors and benefactors from all over Europe. The talented twenty-year-old Cecilia grows up there under the strict supervision of nuns. Music has opened her eyes, but not the doors of the orphanage; it is the only place where she can perform, behind a grille, for the wealthy patrons. Her only chance of a life outside the orphanage seems to be an arranged marriage to a benefactor who is funding her education.
When the ambitious composer Antonio Vivaldi is appointed as music teacher, Cecilia’s life takes an unexpected turn. His arrival offers her the chance to fully develop her exceptional talent and to find the courage to break free from her surroundings and pursue her musical passion.
The screenplay for Primavera draws on Tiziano Scarpa’s novel Stabat Mater and is based on the years that Vivaldi – who was also a Roman Catholic priest – spent as a teacher at the Ospedale della Pietà. The film marks the directorial debut of Damiano Michieletto, a renowned theatre director best known for his operas.