Venice Calling
2019 · Directed by Ivan Calbérac
Original language: French
- comedy
- drama
The story
Emile is fifteen. He lives in Montargis, between a sweet-crazy father and a mother who has always dyed his hair blond, because, it seems, he is more beautiful like that. When the girl who pleases him more than anything invites him to Venice for the holidays, he is overjoyed. Only problem, his parents decide to accompany him - This is the story of a teenager born into an unclassifiable family, the story of a first love, miraculous and fragile. This is the story of an initiatory and incredible journey where life often takes unawares, but where Venice, it will be at the rendezvous.
What it’s like
Warm, sun-bleached Italian light spills across canals, terraces and crumbling palazzo facades, with a bright, slightly washed-out palette that makes the city feel like a holiday postcard coming slowly to life. The camera stays close and mobile in domestic scenes, drifting between a cluttered French kitchen and crowded Venetian streets, while the score leans on light, sunny strings and a few tender piano motifs. The vibe is gently comic and wistful, with a bittersweet undercurrent that suits a lazy Sunday afternoon, a comfort watch on a rainy evening, or a light-hearted film for a long-haul flight. Its rhythm is brisk and episodic, with broad family comedy giving way to quieter moments of adolescent yearning. The emotional arc follows a teenage boy learning to read his eccentric parents and his own heart, as the trip turns into a series of small, unexpected turning points. Intensity is low: there is no real violence, sexual content is minimal and fleeting, and the tension is mostly awkward embarrassment and mild family chaos. It is made for viewers who want sunny scenery, offbeat humour and a soft, romantic coming-of-age story.
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