During WWII, in the days leading up to Christmas, a woman arrives at an Italian Catholic boarding school for orphaned girls with a large cake and a plea for them to pray for her boyfriend, who is having an affair.
Direction
Rohrwacher's wry, observational eye finds holiness in mischief.
Cinematography
16mm warmth makes poverty glow like a dusty Christmas bulb.
Acting
Montanari's Serafina—chaotic, hungry, unforgettable.
Director
Alice Rohrwacher
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Shot in an actual abandoned convent Rohrwacher discovered while location scouting.
The cake is a traditional Italian panettone—its excessive size mocks wartime rationing and spiritual excess alike.
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