The father and sons dynamic of The Eight Mountains had so many parallels to my life it was uncanny. It’s a beautifully told story that doesn’t hold back on the triumphs and tragedies.

Pietro (played at various ages by Luca Marinelli, Lupo Barbiero and Andrea Palma) and Bruno (Alessandro Borghi, Cristiano Sassella and Francesco Palombelli) are childhood friends. Pietro comes from the city and Bruno the country and they both have a lot to learn from each other. Their personal fortunes are also in constant flux.

This ongoing change in life conditions between the two gives the film a completely believable narrative. The ebb and flow leads to some very emotional moments. From its leisurely beginning, the events on display will resonate with almost all audience members. Italian or not these are universal themes that are on display.

It’s safe to say I adored this work of art. It’s not perfect, it’s a bit too long and slow to get going but those are minor quibbles. It is so rich with humanity and so beautiful to look at, it should be included in anybody’s watch list of films not to miss.
Rob Hudson
www.palacefilms.com.au/

Summer 1984, a secluded alpine village in the Aosta Valley. Holidaying with his mother (Elena Lietti) and father (Filippo Timi), 11-year-old Pietro befriends Bruno, the local son of a stonemason, and the two spend an idyllic vacation together. But when Pietro’s well-meaning but impetuous dad suggests that Bruno return to Turin with them so that he can receive a proper education, he inadvertently drives a wedge between the boys.

In adulthood, their paths intertwine again: the estranged Pietro (Martin Eden’s Luca Marinelli) is drawn back to the valley – a place that Bruno (Alessandro Borghi) has never left – and as the two set about building a mountain cabin, they begin to bridge a crevasse of emotional distance and reconcile the wounds and regrets of the past…

Set against the pristine, spectacular panoramas of Northwest Italy and Nepal, and adapted from Paolo Cognetti’s bestselling novel, THE EIGHT MOUNTAINS is a deeply affecting tale of connection – to others, to nature and to self. The incredible bond the two protagonists achieve is both profoundly moving and meaningful.
www.facebook.com/PalaceFilms/

Pietro (played at various ages by Luca Marinelli, Lupo Barbiero and Andrea Palma) and Bruno (Alessandro Borghi, Cristiano Sassella and Francesco Palombelli) are childhood friends. Pietro comes from the city and Bruno the country and they both have a lot to learn from each other. Their personal fortunes are also in constant flux.

This ongoing change in life conditions between the two gives the film a completely believable narrative. The ebb and flow leads to some very emotional moments. From its leisurely beginning, the events on display will resonate with almost all audience members. Italian or not these are universal themes that are on display.

It’s safe to say I adored this work of art. It’s not perfect, it’s a bit too long and slow to get going but those are minor quibbles. It is so rich with humanity and so beautiful to look at, it should be included in anybody’s watch list of films not to miss.
Rob Hudson

The Eight Mountain screenings in Brisbane
PALACE BARRACKS
Thursday 28 September 10:15 AM
Saturday 30 September 12:40 PM
Saturday 7 October 5:40 PM
Wednesday 11 October 5:30 PM
Friday 13 October 3:00 PM
Sunday 22 October 12:40 PM

PALACE JAMES ST
Thursday 28 September 8:10 PM
Wednesday 4 October 3:30 PM
Sunday 8 October 12:30 PM
Thursday 12 October 5:50 PM
Saturday 14 October 8:10 PM
Monday 16 October 3:10 PM
Friday 20 October 3:30 PM

The Italian Film Festival runs in Brisbane from 27 September – 25 October and will take place at the Palace James Street and Palace Barracks cinemas.

Click here for more information about the festival, or head to the official website for more information and to book your tickets!
www.italianfilmfestival.com.au