The Garden of the Finzi-Continis - Wellington Film Society

The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (Il giardino del Finzi Contini)
Vittorio De Sica | Italy | 1970 | PG

Freshly restored to its original beauty…. When first released in 1971, The Garden Of The Finzi-Continis was considered a dramatic comeback for an out-of-fashion director, Vittorio De Sica (The Bicycle Thief). Now it just looks like one of the world's great films. Set in Ferrara, Italy, during World War II and the period leading up to it, the film follows two Jewish families; one, the Finzi-Continis, is wealthy, while the other is middle class. Both families remain either intentionally ignorant of or compliant with the growth of fascism, until it turns against them. De Sica allows the story to play out in a manner that is emotionally crushing, even while refusing to forgive the mistakes of the film's characters. With the peerless cinematography restored, there's never been a better time to see this film. - Keith Phipps, AV Club