THE SIEGE OF PARADISE
(The Tribeca Festival is back and celebrates its 25th year! Taking place June 3 – 14 in various screening rooms around NYC, HtN has tons of coverage coming your way like this The Siege of Paradise movie review from Chris Reed! Seen it? Join the conversation with HtN on our Letterboxd Page.)
In The Siege of Paradise, what is at stake is less actual heaven than cultural heritage and identity, though there are times when the sheer beauty of the places we see approach cinematic nirvana. Director Gar O’Rourke (Sanatorium) guides the viewer through lush vineyards, picturesque and narrow streets, and colorful old houses by the seashore as he examines the effects of the tourist industry on small communities. Yes, visitors bring money (good) but they also overwhelm the infrastructure and disrupt a long-held way of life (bad). Locals consider whether it is worth the trouble.
There’s no question that Cinque Terre, on the Italian Riviera, is gorgeous to look at and visit. Since the 1990s, an increasing number of sightseers have flocked to the five villages—Corniglia, Manarola, Monterosso, Riomaggiore, and Vernazza—that make up the fabled area. Part of the appeal is its lack of direct accessibility; the best way to get there is by train or ferry. And yet, if hordes of day-trippers (the worst kind of traveler, we learn) keep coming, Cinque Terre ceases to be a special place. Locusts destroy everything in their path.
O’Rourke introduces characters from across the region from different walks of life, including Fabrizia Pecunia, the mayor of Riomaggiore; Bartolomeo Lercari, a vintner in Vernazza; Carmelo Verduci, a restaurateur in Corniglia; and Guido Galletti, a fisherman, also from Corniglia. Additionally, the director follows an American influencer, Grace Andrews, on a trip with her bestie, as the one subject from the jet-setter class. They make a fascinating group, lending their unique perspectives to this engaging narrative.
In a world where FOMO rules the day, how does one plan trips that are not just about adding content to social media? While the answer may seem obvious to some—stop posting pics and be in the moment!—it is clear from the number of folks we see here posing in the same spots with their selfie sticks means that the question is very much worth considering. And though Andrews starts out as an obvious villain of sorts (she has to constantly narrate her walks through the villages), even she appears to eventually slow down to better appreciate where she is.
Cinematographer Lukas Gut captures the region’s beauty in all its glory, helping us understand why so many would choose to come. Against this backdrop, O’Rourke crafts a moving examination of the world of today, juxtaposing modern life with older history. The resulting movie speaks to our past, present, and future in a meaningful way. Paradise may be suffering right now, but it still shines brightly.
– Christopher Llewellyn Reed (@ChrisReedFilm)
