Did you know...
In homage to Wertmüller after her death in 2021, Variety Magazine’s Owen Gleiberman wrote, “If you weren’t around at the time, it’s hard to communicate just what a splashy, dominating place the Italian filmmaker Lina Wertmüller occupied during the 1970s.” **
In fitting with CinemaItalia's desire to shine a spotlight on women, in front of and behind the camera, let’s go deeper into the success of Lina Wertmüller’s uproarious yet provocative story telling, one that seems to dare her viewer to debate their own interpretation.
Lina Wertmüller was called the most important film director since Ingmar Bergman and was said to be 'difiantly incorrect' before politically incorrect was a concept.**
“Swept Away” was nominated for Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay by the New York Film Critics Circle, 1975.
Famed American film critic Roger Ebert gave it 4 stars, his highest rating, saying the film "resists the director's most determined attempts to make it a fable about the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, and persists in being about a man and a woman…even while it is causing all sorts of mischief otherwise.”*
“Swept Away” is about an obnoxious rich girl (Mariangela Melato) who barks orders at her lowly yacht crew member (Giancarlo Giannini) until Spoiler alert, they end up stranded on a desert island, and as you can imagine the roles reverse. Then the genuine provocativities begin.
Lina Wertmüller managed to turn these exagerated characters and seemingly simple storyline into a film that stirred up so much talk it was nominated by the New York Film Critics Circle for "Best Film", "Best Director" and "Best Screenplay" in 1975, had audiences lined up around the corner to see the film, then to enjoy lively discussions afterwards.
See SWEPT AWAY at CinemaItalia Cascais on Saturday, 1 June 18:00
Subtitles: PT and ENG
Location: Casa das Histórias - Paula Rego
Av. da República, 300 Cascais,
FREE Entry!! (subject to seat availability)
