Special Screening: The Kidnapping of Arabella
Precocious seven-year-old Arabella convinces a troubled young woman to take her on a road trip, accidentally faking her own kidnapping—and leaving her father, played by Chris Pine, in a panic.
Description
Seven-year-old Arabella (Lucrezia Guglielmino) only wants to go Taco King, not listen to her boring father give a speech (Chris Pine, speaking flawless Italian). Given no choice in the matter, the precocious child opts for revenge. She finds her instrument in Holly (Benedetta Porcaroli), convincing the troubled young woman to let her join her road trip. Trouble is, Arabella’s family think some villain snatched the little girl. Writer/director Carolina Cavalli’s (co-screenwriter, Fremont, Festival 2023) sophomore feature is a heady blend of deadpan comedy and road movie, a deceptively lighthearted surface in a film that poignantly observes Holly’s mental instability and social isolation. Where Arabella is all insouciant scheming, there is deep sadness and only a tenuous grip on reality in her older companion. As they travel across Italy, they are a striking pair, in no small part thanks to the actors’ committed performances. —Pam Grady
Attendee Information
This special screening is free for SFFILM Members. Not a member? Join or renew today for access to this screening! Non-members can purchase tickets as normal.
WITH SUPPORT FROM
Biographies
Milan native Carolina Cavalli made her directing debut with Amanda (2022), which garnered three David di Donatello Awards nominations, including Best New Director. She co-wrote Babak Jalali’s Fremont (Festival 2023), for which she won the Film Independent Spirt Awards’ John Cassavetes Award. The Kidnapping of Arabella is her second feature.
