Corpo Celeste (2011)

Set deep in the south of Italy, Corpo Celeste is the story of 13-year-old Marta, who is struggling to resettle after 10 years growing up in Switzerland. Bright-eyed and restless, she observes the sights, sounds, and smells of the city but feels very much an outsider. Marta is about to undergo the rite of Confirmation, and in the convention of the Catholic Church she takes catechism but confronts the morality of the local Catholic community. A series of subtle moments trace her journey as she connects and conflicts with her mother, her sister, and Sunday-school teacher Santa. From experiencing her period to making a bold decision to cut her hair, Marta begins to shape her own life for the first time since moving back to Italy. Corpo Celeste heralds the arrival of a distinctive young voice. Alice Rohrwacher's writing and directing debut is a sensitive unveiling of the moral and religious layers that can smother adolescence.