La Giusta Distanza (The Right Distance)

This light drama is one of the most beautiful crime/murder stories I have seen lately that slowly builds situations while presenting interesting characters and slightly touching very serious topics like foreigners discrimination, Internet brides, coming of age, voyeurism, and others, all done with very beautiful cinematography, great framing and some quite outstanding performances.

While you watch and when the movie is over you will have a very peaceful feeling, as the storytelling technique seems to be concentrated into slowly telling everyday situations of a small northern Italy dwellers life and the arrival of new teacher Mara that comes to replace the older teacher that went crazy; so when the story takes an unexpected turn, it is resolved fast and so simple that becomes appalling. But this downer climax is only a step into what follows next when the movie becomes a “who’s the killer” light mystery. So, it’s a story that touches many themes and in my opinion, successfully weaves them into one soft, interesting, and attention grabber film.

This multiple nominated at the 2008 David di Donatello Awards that premiered in competition at Cinema 2007 of the Rome fest film by Carlo Mazzacurati definitively is a gorgeous visual voyage into the very beautiful provincial northern Italy, but performances are remarkable especially Ahmed Hefiane that plays Hassan as he truly captures the shyness and integrity of the hard-working immigrant who knows he’ll always be one step removed from the community and does it with a style that gives many film moments the feel and look of a Hitchcocknian movie.

Not a masterpiece but a film that definitively I recommend to those that enjoy European cinema with everyday unremarkable provincial life stories full of unexpected situations, including a crime, and with outstanding and peaceful visuals. If you’re not a fan of traditional crime/murder stories, I believe this film will allow you to see that the genre can be told in such a beautiful, peaceful and violence free way and perhaps you should give this movie a try.

Enjoy!!!