Paolo Sorrentino’s Parthenope explores the life of a woman named after her own city
In short: In his 2024 drama, director Paolo Sorrentino follows a woman named Parthenope through decades of life in Naples and Capri. Neither a siren nor a myth, the protagonist navigates love, academia, and personal tragedy. The film, which premiered at Cannes, offers a visually opulent but narratively divisive meditation on human existence.
Born in 1950 in the waters of Posillipo, Parthenope is named by her godfather, Achille Lauro, in honour of Naples. As she grows, her life becomes a series of encounters with figures ranging from the writer John Cheever to a mafioso named Roberto Criscuolo. The narrative spans from her youth in the late 1960s to her retirement from academia in 2023, capturing her experiences with love, loss, and the cultural fabric of Italy. Throughout these years, she maintains a complex relationship with her anthropology professor, Devoto Marotta, who guides her intellectual pursuits from the study of suicide to the miracles of San Gennaro.
The film is a co-production between Italy and France, featuring a cast that includes Celeste Dalla Porta in the title role, alongside Gary Oldman and Stefania Sandrelli. Sorrentino, working with cinematographer Daria D'Antonio, crafts a world that prioritizes aesthetic grandeur over traditional realism. This stylistic choice has drawn significant attention, with critics noting the director's focus on deifying his protagonist rather than providing a conventional character study. The film’s reception has been notably mixed, with some reviewers praising its visual radiance while others criticize its narrative structure and didactic dialogue.
At the 77th Cannes Film Festival, the film earned a nine-and-a-half-minute standing ovation, yet critical consensus remains split. On Rotten Tomatoes, 46% of 100 reviews are positive, while Metacritic assigns it a score of 52 out of 100. Critics have described the work as both sumptuous and vapid, with some accusing the director of self-parody. Despite these polarized views, the film serves as a distinct exploration of a woman who, like the city she is named for, resists simple categorization, ultimately finding herself observing the celebration of a modern football championship in the streets of Naples.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Parthenope (film)
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-parthenope-film.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
