Spettacolo

Jeff Malmberg and Chris Shellen, the creators of the modern classic Marwencol, return with another irresistible subject wonderfully explored. Decades ago, Italian villagers in a small Tuscan town, Monticchiello, came up with an inventive way to confront their issues and concerns: they turned their lives into a play. Written by the villagers and performed in their piazza, this spettacolo (or spectacle) is perhaps the only thing holding this community together. As the townspeople age, developers encroach, and the younger residents become less interested in the tradition, the 50th anniversary performance of the Teatro Povero di Monticchiello captured by this film might just be the last. (91 mins., DCP)