Alice and the Land that Wonders(original title: Alice e il Paese che si meraviglia) is a 2020/2021 Italian language arthouse experimentalfantasy film by Giulia Grandinetti. Based on her 2011 stage adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice books.[1] The film depicts in a non linear timeline, the world perceived by the character of Alice (Veronica Baleani) a 18 year old experiencing alienation at her birthday party who falls into a dream state, where she becomes Lewis Carroll's character and experiences adventures in a strange clinic. The film features music by Bernard Bursill Hall, and is produced by Giulia Grandinetti and Paolo Grandinetti. The film was completed via crowdfunding in 2019.[2] It has received various nominations and awards. It was distributed in Italy, the UK, and the US in 2021 by Amazon Prime Video.
Alice (Veronica Baleani) feels deeply alienated at her 18th birthday party at a lavish nightclub. Between her family (Martina Badiluzzi, Marit Nissen, Massimiliano Vado) 's expectations, the sourness of fake friends, and the wondering eye of her boyfriend. Overwhelmed by the disastrous night, Alice locks herself in the staff toilets, publishes a call for help on social media, and is drawn to a bottle of vodka. She falls asleep and becomes trapped in a dreaming state, splitting into three versions of herself. The film itself freely associates and flips between these three narratives after Alice falls asleep in the staff toilets.
These dream versions of Alice and narrative strands are:
Alice (Veronica Baleani) at the party she was just at, but in a distorted, unreal version of it.
A sad shaven head Alice in a therapist's office, with a therapist who is trying to figure out why she made the call for help on social media.
Alice in "Wonderland", the main protagonist for much of the film (Maria Vittoria Argenti, a braver version of the party Alice who has bizarre yet familiar adventures in a strange clinic, ruled over by a doctor called Queen. The film implies this world is reached at the bottom of a large sculptural hole, although Alice's descent into Wonderland is never shown.
Production and release
The stage production was performed in various theatres from 2011 to 2013, by the company Compagnia teatrale Piccola Pietra, with a different cast to the film.[3][4] The film was shot in Rome from 2016 to 2019, following crowdfunding completion.[5][6] The scene where Alice realises she is at the bottom of a massive hole was filmed at Rampa Prenestina.[7]
The film was released on Amazon Prime Video in various countries in 2021.[8]
Reception
The film has been described as an "interesting and suggestive travel inside the mind"[9] and "a reflection on social suicide".[10]
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