The small textile factory that Adele and her brother Vito manage is on its last legs. When Treviso’s order falls through they can’t pay off their bank loan anymore. Adele has to sell the house she lives in with her mother, sister Maria Conchetta, and her daughter Ina so she can at least pay for the most pressing necessities. Vito goes to his in-laws in Switzerland like many others. The four women are empty handed, the only thing that’s left is the piece of land in which the grandmother grew vegetables. The women clear the shack and move in perforce. There’s only electricity when there’s fuel for the generator and they have to barter for everything they need. Vegetables, milk, and eggs for colors, fuel, and medication. IN GRAZIE DI DIO is a grounded, exemplary story of the southern European regions which were hit the hardest by the economic crisis. Director Eduardo Winspeare lives in the Apulia region where the film is set and all the actors are unprofessionals from the region. You get to know them very well during the two enjoyable, unhurried hours: devout Nonna who takes everything as it comes and seems to be happiest by the sea, Adele, who has run the show for two decades and believes she can dress down everyone else, especially her daughter Ina who’s about to do her finals and runs around with a group of macho neighborhood boys night after night, and Maria Conchetta, who still dreams of an acting career which no one but her believes can happen. Their problems are real and existential and their tone is more hurtful than loving yet IN GRAZIE DI DIO still manages to be an extremely optimistic, sunny film.

Toni Ohms

Translation: Elinor Lewy