Parthenope was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered on 21 May 2024. It was theatrically released in Italy by PiperFilm on 24 October 2024. It has received mixed reviews.
Plot
In 1950, the affluent Di Sangro family awaits the birth of their daughter in the waters of Posillipo. The birth is attended by her wealthy godfather Achille Lauro, her older brother Raimondo, and Sandrino, the son of the family's housekeeper. Achille gives her the name Parthenope in honour of the city of Naples.
In 1968, Sandrino is obsessed with Parthenope, and Raimondo is incestuously attached to her. Parthenope attends an anthropology course taught by Professor Devoto Marotta, known for his severity. She challenges Marotta during an evaluation of her knowledge and they develop mutual respect.
In 1973, Raimondo suggests to Parthenope and Sandrino that they go to Capri. Parthenope’s carefree behaviour attracts the attention of many people, including the writer John Cheever, whose work she has read. Raimondo ingratiates himself with an heiress, but cannot kiss her and realises he loves only Parthenope. After Sandrino seduces Parthenope, Raimondo throws himself from the cliffs of Capri.
In 1974, Parthenope's father and mother blame her for Raimondo's death. She asks Marotta to advise her on an anthropology dissertation about suicide. He instead suggests researching the cultural impact of miracles. Parthenope briefly interrupts her studies and tries to become an actress. First, she sees the acting teacher Flora Malva, an elderly diva who directs her to Greta Cool, an actress who shares Parthenope's Neapolitan origins. At a party in Greta's honour, Parthenope meets Roberto Criscuolo, a mafioso who takes her to a family ritual, in which the heirs of two Camorra families conceive a child to mark unity. Parthenope later becomes pregnant by Criscuolo, but procures an abortion. Sandrino declares his love and she reacts by blaming him for Raimondo's death.
In 1982, Parthenope is a scholar. She receives a request from an anthropology magazine to write an article on the liquefaction of the blood of San Gennaro. Marotta warns her about Cardinal Tesorone, calling him a “scoundrel”. Tesorone asks her to have sex with him and Parthenope accepts. Marotta tells Parthenope that he aims to retire, and suggests that she apply for a teaching position at the University of Trento. At first Parthenope refuses, because of her love for Naples. Marotta introduces her to his disabled son. Parthenope seems fascinated by Marotta's son and remains in Trento.
In 2023, as she is retiring from academia, Parthenope discusses with two students the profound impact she had on their lives and briefly answers their questions about her personal life. She visits Capri, remembering her youth, then returns to Naples. Parthenope smiles as a passing group of fans celebrate SSC Napoli’s third Serie A championship.
Sorrentino has said the film is about a woman named Parthenope "who bears the name of her city but is neither siren", like the mythical figure of the same name (who gave her name to the city Parthenope, the antique predecessor of modern-day Naples), "nor myth".[4]
Parthenope was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 21 May 2024[8][9] and earned a nine-and-a-half minute standing ovation at the end of its screening.[10]
Before the film’s Cannes premiere, A24 acquired its North American distribution rights.[11] In May 2024, the formation of a new Italian distribution and international sales company named PiperFilm was announced, with Netflix as its partner for the post-theatrical window and with agreement reached with Warner Bros. Entertainment Italia for operational theatrical distribution of its films. Parthenope was PiperFilm's first acquisition, and was released on 24 October 2024.[5][12] The film was theatrically released on 12 March 2025 in France by Pathé,[13] which also handled international sales.[14] A24 gave the film a limited theatrical release beginning on 7 February 2025 in New York City and Los Angeles.[15][16]Picturehouse Entertainment theatrically released the film in the UK and Ireland on 2 May 2025.[17]
Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 46% of 100 critics' reviews are positive.The website's consensus reads: "Equal parts sumptuous and vapid, Parthenope gains some radiance thanks to Celeste Dalla Porta's arresting performance but frustratingly finds writer-director Paolo Sorrentino out of his depth."[18]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 52 out of 100, based on 26 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[19]
The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw called the film "facile" and "conceited", accusing Sorrentino of "pure self-parody" and likening the film to a long-form advertisement for expensive cologne.[20][21]Cineuropa's Davide Abbatescianni called it Sorrentino's "less accomplished feature film, technically impeccable but narratively weak”, adding that Dalla Porta's character "is too cryptic", making the audience "struggle to understand her behaviour, her arrogance and audacity, and the many bombastic and didactic conversations she's part of."[22]
The New York Times's Beatrice Loayza called the film a "one-sided meditation on art, desire and spirituality" and noted Sorrentino's "lack of interest in realism—or political correctness for that matter". Loayza praised Sorrentino’s opulent style and "big ideas" but criticized him for being "more interested in deifying Parthenope than he is in humanizing her […] the portrait is inherently limited."[23]
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