Miele

MIELE, ("Honey") Italy, 2013

Directed by Valerian Golino: Starring Jasmine Trinca (Miele) and Carlo Cecchi (Grimaldi), Viewed at Jameson CINEFEST, Miskolc, Hungary, October 2013: The Italian film Miele had another unusual subject this week, Euthanasia, and a fascinating lead actress, I have never seen before but would like to see much more of after this. Jasmine Trinca is exceptionally beautiful, has a perfect face, globular eyes and slim body, and you simply cannot keep yours eyes off of her -- even dressed as she is in this film unglamorously in jeans, and with boyishly close cropped hair. MIELE is basically the story (third time this festival) of a relationship between a young woman and a much older man; Irene, 31, and Grimaldi (Carlo Cecchi) 74. The heroine, Irene, nick named "Miele" (honey) has an unusual job which requires her to take trips to Mexico to procure dog killer, Latuna, ostensibly a substance "to put down dogs", but actually a poison to put terminally ill patients out of their misery.

The subject is Euthanasia, and the complicated psychology of people who want to end it all. Irene is an illegal suicide assistant and gives the applicants every chance to change their minds, but in the end it is Mr. Grimaldi, a 70 year old man in perfect health but simply tired of living, who will make her change her own mind about the grisly way she has chosen to make a living -- administering illegal drugs and poisons to people who want to die. A bit thin in story line but the hypnotically beautiful lead actress turns it into a compelling sit through; Jasmine Trinca, 31, was the actress playing Irene. The pic was directed by well known Italian actress Valeria Golino, her first turn behind the cameras, a most promising debut to say the least. Trinca, a leading light in Italian films since 2000, received the Italian Golden Globe "Nastro d'argento" best actress award this year for her work in "Miele" and the film itself was screened at Cannes in "Un certain regard" where it won a commendation by the Ecumenical jury, a body whose function is to show support for Good Christian values. One can easily see why since suicide is a mortal sin in the Catholic Church. Ten stars -- Jasmine Trinca will give you a reason to live another day!

In a society that tiptoes around death, this intense drama dares to confront it head-on through the story of a young woman who secretly assists terminally ill patients in ending their lives. Operating under the alias "Honey," Irene travels to Mexico to procure euthanasia drugs and administers them discreetly to those in agony. But when a man in apparent good health seeks her help, her moral certainty begins to fracture.

Rather than indulging in melodrama, the film opts for a sparse, quiet tone that amplifies the ethical and emotional weight of each decision. The camera lingers on Irene's internal conflict, inviting the viewer to question not only the legality of assisted death but its humanity. What happens when empathy meets ambiguity? When autonomy clashes with the fear of losing control?

Adapted from Mauro Covacich's novel *A nome tuo*, the script by Valia Santella and Francesca Marciano embraces the thorniness of its subject without offering easy answers. The direction is equally uncompromising, treating the right to die not as political fodder but as an existential dilemma.

Anchored by a restrained but compelling lead performance, this film doesn't aim to shock but to stir. It examines the unspoken pact between society and death - one often masked by medical euphemisms and cultural silence - and exposes it for what it truly is: a question every one of us will eventually face.

I agree completely with the 3 other reviews. I mostly wanted to rave about this actress, Jasmine Trinca. She is really SOMEthing! She is unusually beautiful and elfin, w/ her Audrey Hepburn haircut, but that attribute is never mentioned in the film, and all the attention is on her laser sharp focus on her mission: traveling, procuring,returning and overseeing her Mexican contraband used by terminally ill people in Italy who wish to end their lives. She takes everything VERY seriously, and it is quite something when she finally smiles, near the film's end. I know using 'girl' instead of woman is not PC, but in this case, she looks soooo young (like 17,even though she was actually twice that old !) That, and maybe her naiveté, made me think of her as a girl.

The very unusual, complex and never explained relationship that develops w/ the 'grumpy old man' is the crux of the story, and the catalyst for change. For me, the film's ending depicted an act that was a true affirmation of Love, and I felt very satisfied by that.Film endings are rarely this successful. But you do have to figure it all out for yourself, because all the visual clues are there for you, but the dialogue never reveals most of what I picked up from watching it. Honey makes for a great conversation piece, about matters that really mean something in how we live our lives. A completely compelling and engrossing experience.

Honey is a human drama that has a decent plot. The film, which is the directing debut of Italian actress Valeria Golino is a well shot, well-made film, that's only real weakness is just how confusing it can sometimes be. The film deals with the idea of euthanasia, and does not necessarily tell us whether it is a good or a bad thing.

Honey tells the story of Irene (played by Jasmine Trinca) an Italian woman nicknamed Honey who has dedicated herself to helping people who are suffering, by helping them ending their lives. She tries to find ways to make their problems less severe, despite the extreme decisions they do, because she believes it is the right thing to do. When she meets a middle-aged man named Grimaldi (played by Carlo Cecchi), her self-confidence is challenged, as Grimaldi wants her to end his life not because he is suffering, but because he is bored. A mutual relationship formed between the two as Honey sets out to learn why Grimaldi wants to do what he wants to do.

An Italian/French co-production partially shot in Mexico, Honey is a movie that shows real human emotions. The performances in the film help immensely. Jasmine Trinca, the actress, playing Honey shows different moods throughout the film, such as frustration, anger and happiness, and she shows them all very well.

The film itself has an interesting idea for a plot that deals with euthanasia which is banned in most countries and it's not hard to see why. The idea of taking someone's life no matter had bad they are suffering, does not sit well with many people. Honey does not necessarily say that euthanasia is a good thing; instead the film explains why the idea is actually helpful in some ways. Those who are suffering from a disease that they can't cure objectively want their lives to taken away from them. The film, however, also shows us why the idea of euthanasia is potentially dangerous, with Honey, the main character, even questioning such a thing once in the film.

Being a first time director, aside from a short film, director Golino does some interesting camera choices. One recurring motif throughout the film is Honey swimming in the water, which occurs three times during the film. The idea seems to be that water is meant to represent Honey at her most natural state, and that she swims in order to drown out the misery in her life. The soundtrack using both English and Italian songs is also well incorporated. In the scene where Honey is taking her bike ride, the song helps to push the mood of the scene, as we see her going by quite fast on her bicycle.

Honey is not a masterpiece by any means. Some viewers might find the plot to be a little confusing to follow. However, I find the film to be an interesting look at euthanasia and how it affects people.

Avoiding judgement on euthanasia, Mrs. Golino leaves the verdict to the viewer, not enforcing it, though. The two main characters, quite opposite in points (sex, age, philosophy) are charming and I enjoyed them a lot in a smoothly running movie. I agree with the majority of reviewers on the attractive Jasmine, her eyes are pure magic. Her acting is excellent, too. Suggested unconditionally!