Vermiglio (Criterion Premieres) (US Edition)

Vermiglio, written and directed by Maura Delpero, unfolds in 1944 in the remote Trentino mountain village of Vermiglio. Lucia, the eldest daughter of a stern village schoolteacher, falls in love with Pietro, a Sicilian deserter who plans to leave once the war ends. But when Pietro vanishes—later discovered to have already had a wife and to have been killed—Lucia’s world collapses. She gives birth to Pietro’s child, rejects the baby in despair, and contemplates suicide before slowly rebuilding. Her journey leads her to Sicily to confront the truth, a poignant exploration of grief, motherhood, and resilience amid war’s shadows  .

Visually breathtaking and emotionally rich, the film received the Grand Jury Prize at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival and has become Italy’s entry for Best International Feature at the 2025 Academy Awards  . Critics praised its lyrical depiction of rural life and the weight of tradition on personal freedom.

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