Gloria! (film)

Gloria! is a 2024 historical musical film co-written and directed by Margherita Vicario in her directorial debut. The film starring Galatea Bellugi, Carlotta Gamba, Veronica Lucchesi, Maria Vittoria Dallasta and Sara Mafodda tells the story of a group of young musicians who invent pop music in 18th century Italy.

It was selected in the Competition at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, where it competed for the Golden Bear with its first screening on 21 February at Berlinale Palast. Margherita Vicario, the first feature director was nominated for GWFF Best First Feature Award in the festival. It was released in Italy on 11 April 2024, by 01 Distribution.

Synopsis
It is late 18th century in Venice, and in a convent school for girls Teresa, a girl with prophetic gifts, joins forces with some amazing music-makers. They create a new kind of music that is pop, bright and bold, and challenge the ancient and rigid system.

Cast



 * Galatea Bellugi as Teresa
 * Carlotta Gamba as Lucia
 * Maria Vittoria Dallastra as Marietta
 * Sara Mafodda as Prudenza
 * Veronica Lucchesi as Bettina
 * Paolo Rossi as Perlina
 * Natalino Balasso as Governor
 * Anita Kravos as Donna Lidia
 * Jasmin Mattei as Fidelia
 * Gioele Pagura as Giacomo
 * Vincenzo Crea as Cristiano

Release
Gloria! had its world premiere on 21 February 2024, as part of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, in Competition.

Reception
Nicholas Bell in Ion Cinema rated the film with two and half stars and said, "With its joyful noise and winning streak of creative, rebellious women, Gloria! may often be pleasurable but could have used some tightening of the screws and heightening of dramatic stakes."

Lee Marshall reviewing the film at Berlinale, wrote in ScreenDaily "One would need a tough skin not to be won over by the mischievous musical anachronism at the heart of Gloria! and the chemistry of the young female cast that delivers it."

Guy Lodge writing in Variety said, "Ebullient musical sequences are the chief virtue of this peppy but sketchily scripted directorial debut from actor-musician Margherita Vicario." Lodge concluding review wrote, "The soaring motivational message here wouldn’t be clipped by a little interior conflict on either side, but Gloria! is all about chasing the highest of high notes."

Savina Petkova reviewing the film at Berlinale for Cineuropa wrote, "Not only that: Gloria! takes the utmost pleasure in empowering its female characters as women fed up with the uselessness of certain men in power, enough to then take matters into their own hands; a delightful aspiration to have and a form of pure joy to share with the biggest audiences on the biggest screen."

Accolades
The film was selected in Competition at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, thusly it was nominated to compete for the Golden Bear.