Nuovo Olimpo

On 22 October 2023, after the opening of the Rome Film Festival on 1 November 2023, Ferzan Özpetek's film was released on Netflix.

He wrote the script together with his old friend Gianni Romoli.

The release date of the film was not chosen randomly. The story of the film begins 30 years ago on 1 November.

Özpetek's films are divided into two categories.

A) films with a Turkish crew in whole or in part b) Films with an all-Italian crew.

This film is in the second section.

Ferzan is an incredibly good director and storyteller...

He painted a magnificent 70s Italy and both the background and jukebox music represent both the period and the spirit of the film well.

In 2023, I hope Netflix Italy will continue to surprise us with the second Ferzan Ozpetek film.

The film highlights an interesting point with its scenario that focuses on two men who meet and fall in love in 1970s Rome and spend the next 30 years looking for each other.

It is an interesting detail that the entire world lives in the same feelings between the 1940s and the eighties...

They dressed similarly, watched similar films, fell in love with similar songs and experienced similar political movements.

Sociologists should study this.

In this context, Italy, especially in the background of the first half of the film, will not be foreign to many people.

The story is so good. Two main actors are amazing. Screenplay, music...are harmony with this film.

Love declined in all its forms, facets, and contradictions.

It is said that the only loves destined to last forever are the impossible ones. You can believe it. You may think differently.

One thing, however, is certain, impossible loves, or rather, those that do not have the opportunity to be lived to the full, are the ones we remember forever.

And the love told by Nuovo Olimpo is part of this category.

Nuovo Olimpo is a film capable of reaching the hearts not only of cinema enthusiasts or Ozpetek fans but of all those who have loved in their lives.

Nuovo Olimpo is pure romance and having, even if only for a couple of hours, this feeling of amazement, passion, disappointment, melancholy, and nostalgia is a true wonder.

Is not easy to find a good movie about this. And Nuovo Olimpo is a good one: elegant, touching and beautiful film about love, passion or memories of times already gone, but remain always with you doesn't matter how many years pass.

This movie is a full package: good casting, directing, acting, photography, music , story line, the end and that 70's Italian atmosphere results in a surprinly good film that I wasn't expecting and that feeling is so good, when you have zero expectations and you find something like this. Probably Nuovo Olimpo will make you cry and feel emotional; and it is good , the movie works and touch you.

So many reasons to like it , from main actors work ( Luisa Ranieri offers a gorgeous portrait of Titti ) to the 70 decade atmosphere, to the humor and, especialy admirable elegance are good reasons to see it. Again.

Because it is one of films using as efficient kick for return across personal memories about encounters and old stories who, after decades, are more fresh or present than in moments when they are real facts.

But the real good point is the wisedom to not propose a manifesto, a lesson or a moral. Only a story about intense love of youth , an accident changing everything, the profession as way of succes .

Sure, the physical beauty of Andrea di Luigi and Damiano Gavino is a not insignificant virtue, but the gift for viewer remains the clever manner to craft a story using smart the cliches of a remarkable director.

The gay crust is just splendid used for a clear- tender- nostalgic state of heart .

So, not bad idea to see it.

In an era of films with no emotion or passion, just robotic sequels full of CGI, this was a true surprise. And on Netlix, no less, not exactly a streamer platform known for quality recently. It has a touching story, excellent acting, good direction, and a beautiful setting in Roma. Its mood is poignant, exploring a great love affair of missed opportunities, and the passion for love is emblematic of life itself, full of twists and turns, moments of being (to use Virginia Woolf's phrase), nostalgia, and yes regret. The time and space of the film is handled very elegantly. This is by far the Best Romantic Film of 2023, plus one of the most moving films of the year as well. And the fact that this great romance is between two men can finally, after decades, be considered the most normal part of the story.