Small Body
Small Body is a 2021 historical drama film directed by Laura Samani, in her feature film directorial debut, and written by Samani, Elisa Dondi and from an original story by Samani. Set in rural early-20th century Northeast Italy, it follows a peasant mother who travels to a sanctuary in the northern mountains to grant her unbaptised stillborn child access to Heaven, with the help of a rugged, new acquaintance as guide. An Italian-French-Slovenian co-production of Nefertiti Film, Rai Cinema, Tomsa Films, and Vision, it was shot entirely in Friulian and Venetian language for historical accuracy reasons.
It had its world premiere at the Critics' Week sidebar of the 74th Cannes Film Festival on 10 July 2021, before being released on 19 January 2022 in Slovenia by Vertigo, on 10 February 2022 in Italy by Istituto Luce, and on 16 February 2022 in France by Arizona Distribution. It won various accolades, including a David di Donatello for Best New Director and the European Film Award for the Discovery of the Year.
Plot
Agata's baby is stillborn. According to Catholic tradition, its soul is condemned to Limbo. When she hears of a church whose priest has the supernatural power to bring a dead child back to life she ventures on a journey with the child in a coffin on her back.Reception
Small Body has an approval rating of 100% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 17 reviews, and an average rating of 7.7/10. Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 77 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".Awards
David di Donatello Awards2022 Winner David Best New Director
2022 Nominee David Best Song Cannes Film Festival
2021 Nominee Grand Prix de la Semain de la Critique
2021 Nominee Caméra d'orPremio Flaiano
2022 - Winner best first feature to Laura SamaniBobbio Film Festival
Winner best first feature to Laura SamaniPremio "Beppe Ciavatta" - Winner Best New Director Laura SamaniPremio Suso Cecchi d'Amico - Best script European Film Awards
2022 Winner European Film Award, European Discovery - Prix FipresciItalian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
2022 Nominee Best New Director London Film Festival
2021 Nominee Sutherland Award First Feature Competition
2021 Winner Sutherland Award - Honourable MentionMolodist Kyiv International Film Festival
2022 Nominee International Competition: Full-Length Films
2022 Winner Special Jury Diploma International Competition: Full-Length FilmsPalm Springs International Film Festival
2022 Nominee New Voices/New Visions Grand Jury PrizeSlovene Film Festival
2021 Winner Vesna Best Minority Coproductions
2021 Winner Vesna Best Cinematography Stockholm Film Festival
2021 Nominee Bronze Horse Best FilmTrieste Film Festival
2023 Winner SNCCI Award Best Italian FilmAnnecy Italian Cinema Festival
2021 Winner Audience Award International CompetitionDublin International Film Festival
2022 Winner Dublin Film Critics Award - Best DirectorGolden Globes, Italy
2022 Winner Golden Globe Best First Feature Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival
2022 Winner Emerging Filmmaker AwardDublin Film Critics Circle Awards
2022 Nominee Best Cinematography
10th placeGolden Ciak Awards
2022 Nominee Golden Ciak Best First Feature Seville European Film Festival
2021 Winner Audience Award - Historias ExtraordinariasChéries-Chéris
2021 Winner Acting Prize Best Actor
2021 Nominee Grand Prize Chéries-Chéris Feature FilmBellaria Film Festival
2022 Nominee Casa Rossa Best Film