Isabella Morra

Isabella Morra was the daughter of an early-16th-century Italian baron. When he left his wife and eight children to amuse himself at the French court, Isabella fell under the authority of her two narrowminded, jealous brothers. They decided she was getting too familiar with their neighbor and punished her by death. Six years later, Isabella’s sonnets and songs were published, which made her into a well-known Renaissance poet. Twentieth-century novelist André Pieyre de Mandriargues was inspired by her life story and wrote a play about her, and director Isabel Pagliai’s documentary is loosely based on this work. The main character isn’t an isolated noblewoman, but kids from a children’s home in Boulogne-sur-Mer. The camera follows them as they roam the streets, attempting to penetrate their glazed expressions. But Pagliai mostly shows the way the children interact, in a sober and direct cinema verité style. This is characterized by a lot of swearing, language use that’s advanced for their age, and a constant exploration of power relationships. The poetry lies in the alternation of murmurs, shouting, animated talking and silence.