Maura Delpero’s unhurried storytelling and thought-provoking visuals make Vermiglio a memorable watch. Delpero allows the audience time to get settled in the remote Italian village; she then gently peels back the layers of her characters with extreme patience and allows us to soak in their emotions. Even though life in the picturesque Alpine Italian village is enticing initially, you gradually discover that almost every character has a secret that the space, like Gargantua’s mouth, swallows whole.
Set in 1944, the village was not spared the impact of war. At the center of the drama is a family. Cesare, the patriarch, was a learned man who took pride in educating the young minds of the village, and he offered classes for adults as well. His wife, Adele, took care of the household chores, rationed food, and dealt with the burden of pregnancy alone. While the man of the house indulged in his whimsies, she did not have the luxury to do so. Vermiglio primarily focuses on the lives of Cesare and Adele’s three daughters, Ada, Flavia, and Lucia, each representing a stage on the road to womanhood.
Spoiler Alert
Why did Ada decide to become a nun?
Ada was navigating her adolescent stage, and often her bodily desires contrasted with the teachings of the Bible. As a good Christian, Ada thought she deserved to be punished for exploring her sexual cravings, and she had a diary full of rules and punishment for each time she deviated from the ‘right’ path. The age gap between Lucia and Ada did not help much; she could not discuss how she felt with her, and even if she could, Ada would’ve been ashamed to do so. Growing up in a large Christian family in a remote village in the 40s, Ada did not have anyone to tell her that everything she was going through was normal. Ada struggled with privacy, and her younger sister, Flavia, once saw her hiding behind the cupboard. Ada often pleasured herself there, and then immediately prayed to God for forgiveness. Even though she repeatedly told herself how it was all so wrong, her body did not listen to her mind. She felt the constant urge to satisfy her libido, and at times she hated herself for feeling that way.
The only person Ada felt a deep sense of connection with was Virginia. She was about Ada’s age, but unlike Ada, Virginia was not ruled by her moral compass. She was a free spirit who did not care about others’ judgment. She prioritized a joyful ride on her bicycle over completing household chores, and at times Ada looked at her in envy. Perhaps on the surface, Ada judged Virginia for being reckless, but deep down she wanted to be as free as her. During Lucia’s wedding, Ada discovered Virginia smoking in the barn. She was both surprised and intrigued—she had only ever seen men smoke. Virginia had removed her blouse, afraid that her mother would catch a whiff. When Virginia offered her a drag, Ada rejected it. Flavia was close to Ada, and after discovering that their father used to hide the key to his secret drawer in his study room under the carpet, she told Ada about it. Ada mentioned that her father smoked, and Virginia suggested that she must steal a couple of cigarettes from her father, so they could smoke together. Even though Ada did not show any interest in the plan, the next day she was at her father’s study to steal cigarettes. In the secret drawer, Ada found an album full of naked photographs of women, and the next thing we know, she had convinced herself that she deserved to consume chicken poop as a form of punishment for her lustful thoughts.
After her father decided to discontinue her education, Ada spent more time with Virginia. She stole cigarettes for her, and even though Ada did not smoke, she looked at Virginia with awe. Virginia rubbed the ashes on her eyelid, and Ada appreciated her whimsical ideas. Ada was heartbroken when Virginia was about to leave the village. Ada and Virginia did not feel they belonged in the space they existed in, and their mutual feeling resulted in them becoming friends. While it is not explicitly shown in the film, I believe their friendship was also rooted in queerness. Ada was discovering herself, and when she came across an album of naked photographs of women, she experienced the desire to touch herself. She went back to the album over and over again even though she knew it was morally wrong. She enjoyed being with Virginia, perhaps because deep down she wanted to be as free as she was, but she could not. She could relate to the boredom that often engulfed Virginia—they were both expected to help with household chores and eventually become child bearers, but they wanted to be so much more than just that.
During Vermiglio’s ending, Ada decided to become a nun because she had realized that they were the only ones others listened to. She wanted to be in a position of authority, where her voice would not go unheard. Ada had moved into a convent, and she perhaps enjoyed the privilege of privacy there. Maybe at a young age, Ada realized that she did not have the courage that Virginia did to express her authentic self, and hiding her desires behind religious garb was an easier option for her. Perhaps after seeing Lucia’s failed marriage, her faith in love had dissipated. In the comfort of her own room, Ada lighted a cigarette. It was perhaps the only time she did not have to lie to herself.
What happened to Pietro?
Pietro was a deserter who had helped Lucia’s cousin Attilio escape. Pietro was welcomed with open arms when he came along with Attilio. While some villagers wondered if sheltering a deserter was the right thing to do, Cesare thought that running away from a brutal war was not a sign of cowardice. Pietro started to spend time with Cesare’s family, and Lucia showed interest in him. Since the time she landed a quick peck on his lips, Pietro could not stop thinking about her. After a brief courting period, they decided to get married. Pietro asked Cesare for his daughter’s hand in marriage, and the entire village came together to celebrate the union. Lucia was pregnant during her wedding, and she was eager to begin her new life with Pietro.
Soon after their wedding, the news of the war coming to an end started to spread. Cesare advised Pietro to return home and meet his mother. Cesare could only guess how worried his mother must have been since she had not heard from her son for months, and he thought it was Pietro’s duty to clear the air. Leaving behind a heavily pregnant Lucia was not ideal, but he was told there was still time for the baby to arrive, and so Pietro decided to head home. Lucia waited for Pietro’s letter, but she did not receive any news, and she gradually started to lose patience. After spending days waiting, Lucia was shocked to discover her husband’s whereabouts in the newspaper. As it turned out, Pietro was already married to Anna Pennisi when he met Lucia, yet he chose to keep it a secret. Attilio trusted Pietro, and he felt betrayed when he discovered the truth. When Pietro went home after marrying Lucia, Anna killed him in rage. The news left Lucia devastated. Everyone around her started to talk about how unfortunate she was and how she had hurried into the relationship. Family members stated in passing that the unborn child was the price she had to pay for her recklessness.
How did Pietro’s death affect Lucia?
Lucia denied herself the privilege of sleeping in her room, and instead, she decided to spend the night at the barn. She was heartbroken, devastated, and, at the same time, embarrassed and ashamed of herself. She never thought she would have to raise their child on her own. Her marriage to Pietro was supposed to signify a new beginning, but instead, it brought only misfortune. Adele sympathized with her daughter, and she bathed Lucia the next morning. To keep her distracted, Adele asked Lucia to stitch her baby’s name on a bib. But even then, overhearing the constant worried sighs left Lucia feeling helpless. The only option was for Lucia to travel to town to work as a nursemaid for rich families, but who would then look after her child?
After Lucia gave birth, she refused to perform any motherly duties. For her, the child was nothing but a curse, and the baby reminded her only of pain and betrayal. Lucia tried to escape and disappear into the forest, but her brother Dino found her and brought her home. For the first time after she learned about Pietro’s death, Lucia cried. The realization that there was no escape and that she had to continue living even though it was painful and difficult had finally hit her.
Lucia had decided to temporarily leave her daughter at the convent Ada had joined. She needed closure, so she traveled to Galati Mamertino and met with a pastor who handed her the letters she had sent to his address, unfortunately Pietro never received the letters. She visited the cemetery and paid her last respects to her late husband. The visit helped her find the closure that she was searching for. After coming to terms with reality, Lucia finally accepted her daughter and met her one last time before leaving her at the convent. It broke her heart to leave Antonia behind, but she did not have a choice. This was the only way she could provide for her daughter, and perhaps knowing that Ada was there to look after her baby was her only relief. Becoming a single mother was not something that Lucia might have ever expected, but life came with surprises, some more terrible than the other.
In Vermiglio’s ending, the three daughters had moved out of their family house, and Adele was pregnant again. Flavia was at the very beginning of her journey navigating womanhood; she had experienced her first menstruation and was eventually sent to a boarding school after she demonstrated excellent academic prowess. Even though she had considered staying behind and looking after Lucia and Antonia, she could not go against her father’s wishes. For Ada, becoming a nun was the journey she had embarked on; it was almost as if she had decided to punish herself for life for having thoughts that she believed were impure. For Lucia, it marked the beginning of her life as a working single mother. Cesare’s life mostly remained unaffected, and he continued enjoying classical music in his study room. Adele had to go through another pregnancy, and it was time for her to repeat the same cycle.
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