Orfeo

Villoresi’s singular take on the myth of Orpheus is an entrancing celebration of the possibilities of cinematic artifice. Villoresi reenvisions Orpheus as a loner pianist whose gaze meets that of a stranger, Eura, at the club where he performs one night; they fall in love, only for Eura to disappear almost as suddenly. Orpheus catches a glimpse of her some time later and follows her into what we come to realize is a visionary, sensual reimagination of the underworld. Adapted from Dino Buzzati’s 1969 graphic novel Poema a fumetti, Villoresi’s feature debut combines beautiful 16mm photography, lovingly handcrafted sets, meticulously orchestrated stop-motion animation, and in-camera optical effects to arrive at a mesmerizing, artisanal work that announces its director as one of Italian cinema’s most exciting new voices. An Oscilloscope Laboratories release.