Parthenope

Name: Parthenope
Start: 2026-09-23T19:30:00+02:00
End: 2026-09-23T19:30:00+02:00
Location: Wieselburg-Land

Wednesday 23 September · 19:30Wieselburg-Land · niederoesterreich

What's it about?

Director: Paolo Sorrentino Writer: Paolo Sorrentino Cinematographer: Daria D′Antonio Music: Lele Marchitelli Cast: Celeste Dalla Porta, Gary Oldman, Dario Aita, Isabella Ferrari, Peppe Lanzetta Drama, Fantasy, Italy 2024, Original language with subtitles, 136 minutes. Sirens are mythical beings that no one can resist. In Homer’s time, only wax in the ears could help. Oscar-winning Paolo Sorrentino ('The Great Beauty', 'The Hand of God', 'Youth') tells the story of a modern siren in 'Parthenope'. In her case, wax would be more useful for the eyes, as she is spectacularly beautiful—at least if one considers a certain Southern European type of female beauty as the norm. Celeste Dalla Porta, known previously as a model and from commercials for Campari, makes her debut in international cinema here. Her name, Parthenope, is given by her father, a true Neapolitan patriarch. He watches from his impressive palace as his daughter is born in the water—a semi-mythical birth. The story is set in 1950, from which Sorrentino moves through Italian contemporary history in lavish images. He takes some time after 1970, during the years when Parthenope’s youthful radiance drives half of Capri crazy, when she is not studying anthropology with a wonderfully grumpy professor (the great Silvio Orlando). The theme he assigns her: miracles. A miracle is clearly Parthenope herself. In Homer’s stories, the sirens have no names. Later, a legend invented the name Parthenope for her, after she threw herself into the sea because Odysseus resisted her. Against this background, Sorrentino clearly works to de-mythologize: his Parthenope does not go into the water. She prefers to go to the library. P.S. Parthenope was founded by Greek settlers and was the first predecessor of Naples. Around 500 BC, a second Greek city was established in the northeast, called Neapolis ('New City'). From then on, Parthenope also bore the name Paläopolis ('Old City'). The poet Virgil poetically called Naples 'Parthenope', and even today, locals are called 'partenopei'. Photos © Polyfilm