Rosa et Cornelia

First of all, I wonder why this movie has not become famous, or why it is not publicized. In front of this movie, even the celebrated Italian movies like La Strada or Bicycle Thief are nowhere. I came to know about this movie very luckily while preparing for my IELTS examination through a theme-based product called Smarten Your English through Movies. Because I'm passionate about movies, I thought I will learn automatically by adopting a theme-based study material.

This is a costume drama. Cornelia is a Venetian countess who is about to be married. However, when her parents discover she is pregnant as a result of a secret affair, she is kept hidden away in their country house. A peasant girl, Rosa, who is also pregnant, is hired to be Cornelia's companion. The two find they have some things in common although they are from completely opposite ends of the social spectrum, but they are unaware of a plan concocted by Cornelia's family and co-ordinated by her nurse.

Well set and well directed. Kudos for the photographic angle alone. Acting is superb.

Theme may look feminine. All characters are women. Both leading actresses are pregnant. There are little intimate woman-woman friendship.

Overall I rate this movie nine.

Based on a play, "L'Attesa" (The Waiting), which was inspired by a true story, the film is set in 18th century Venice and its adjacent countryside. This underrated little gem of a movie wasn't very successful in Italy and never distributed outside its borders, though it has its quiet following among those who were lucky enough to catch it. In very simplistic terms, it could be classed as a "women's" film, but only insofar as it concerns the destinies of two illegitimately pregnant girls – a young aristocrat and her maid – and treats matters from a strictly feminine viewpoint. But then again, it would have to be, seeing as men have never had to contend with the tragedy of falling pregnant out of wedlock before the sexual revolution of the 1960s! I guess then that in this sense, the circumstances that produce the drama are feminine – though the themes of friendship, solidarity, sacrifice, private vs public façade, etc., are universal.

Cornelia, a pretty 19-year-old Venetian Countess, is destined to marry a French aristocrat she has never even met. This union will restore her family's return to wealth. For this reason, it is essential that they hide her from the eyes of the world during her pregnancy, keeping her a virtual recluse in their isolated summer country estate. Not only must no one know of her pregnancy: they must believe her a virgin, or her French suitor's family won't have her. Cornelia's wet-nurse Piera, played by the seasoned actress Athina Cenci, is willed by her employers as their daughter's benevolent but strict jailer during her pregnancy.

Meanwhile the mysterious Rosa, an illiterate but resourceful young peasant who introduces herself to Cornelia as her new maid, is hired for the completion of a mysterious and, we soon discover, horrifically ruthless plan. When the film opens both Cornelia and Rosa are at the beginning of their pregnancies, though the film never probes into the identity of their respective babies' fathers. It's simply irrelevant in this context: the babies are illegitimate and this is all that matters to predetermine their jinxed destinies.

Initially hostile towards Rosa, the fragile, spoilt but ultimately lovable Cornelia soon enough becomes almost dependant on her young maid's solid, no-nonsense, warm and honest personality (and so does the spectator!). The two young women are the same age, yet Rosa has a knowledge of the world probably too vast for her age, one that Cornelia could only dream of. Yet in some ways, without the stifling expectations placed upon her by status, Rosa is the freer of the two. None of these seemingly obvious themes are ever portrayed in anything but a subtle and believably manner, never in a polarised, stereotyped, Titanic-like, "poor peasant=good, rich aristocrat=bad" manner!

The three female leads – the two pregnant girls and Piera, the middle-aged wet-nurse – are believably multi-faceted and superbly portrayed by the three actresses. The engaging Rosa is played by Stefania Rocca, one of Italy's most talented young actresses, also seen in The Talented Mr Ripley as Silvana (Jude Law's Italian lover who drowns herself). It's quite impossible not to grow tremendously attached to these characters, especially the two young leads.

A tender, humane, quietly but persistently sensual film all the more cruel for its unexpected denouement, I warmly recommend this to anyone on the lookout for a hidden, little-known, understated but emotionally powerful gem. But beware: despite its tenderness it'll reveal an unexpectedly cruel side, like someone gently and lovingly handing you a kitten to cuddle only to suddenly stab it in front of your eyes. But then, human life was worth far less back then, and this film shows us this in an unflinchingly realistic manner, keeping other costume dramas with contemporary romantic notions at arm's length from itself.

If there is only one foreign language film you see in the next year make it this one. In fact if there is only one film that you see in the next year make it this one. A rare gem of a movie like this doesn't come around often enough, and so when it does you should grab onto it as if its precious metal and savour it as you would a kiss.

'Rosa e Cornelia' is the story of a young Countess and her maid both facing an illegitimate pregnancy in 18th Century Venice. Cornelia's parents do everything in their power to keep their daughter's pregnancy secret, going as far as keeping her a prisoner with only a few servants acting as her jailers on their country estate. Not only will she not tell them who the father is, but she has an arranged marriage to a French nobleman to keep to which will ensure her families return to wealth, so salvaging her reputation is all that matters to her parents, whatever the cost. Rosa's tale is more simple but no less poignant, she simply needs a roof over her head and food for her unborn child, and without a second thought agrees to become lady in waiting to the spoiled, often selfish Cornelia.

From this unlikely pairing though a deep friendship develops between the two women, beautifully played out by the wonderful Chiara Muti (Cornelia) and the mesmerising Stefania Rocca who steals the film as the bright, resourceful, courageous Rosa. And it's the exchanges and relationship between these two strong women where the beauty of the film lies. The director Giorgio Treves seems to take a step back from the camera and lets the scenes and characters speak for themselves. What is most surprising about the film is how contemporary it feels. The issues, actions and consequences surrounding the story are as relevant now as they were in the 18th Century, the most horrifying thing is the play its based on, 'L'attesa', was drawn from real life events that still happen today. Which as the film comes to its unexpected ending makes it even more horrifyingly poignant for the audience.

Finally this film has everything you could want from a trip to the cinema. It has strong female characters (a rare thing these days) beautiful directing and cinematography, love, friendship, drama and surprisingly great humour. But most of all the cast do their job so well and the story is so engaging that after you see the film you'll want to go back and see it all over again. I did!!!