Based on a true historical record, it tells the story of Antonia, an orphan girl in 17th-century Piedmont who is eventually accused of witchcraft and tried by the Inquisition. The Theme:

Fans of Happy as Lazzaro , Portrait of a Lady on Fire (for the longing), Tarkovsky’s Nostalghia , or anyone who believes that cinema can be prayer.

The tomb, named La Chimera (The Chimera) due to the presence of a stunning fresco depicting the mythological creature, is an impressive structure built from local stone. The entrance, adorned with a carved stone door, leads to a spacious chamber with a vaulted ceiling. The walls are adorned with vivid frescoes, showcasing the artistic skills of the Etruscan people.

Alice Rohrwacher shoots the film on 16mm film, giving it a grainy, dreamlike, and nostalgic texture. The style feels like a mix of neorealism and a fairy tale. The camera lingers on faces, dirt, and the stark contrast between the darkness of the tombs and the blinding sunlight of the Tuscan countryside.

🔍 In Greek myth, the Chimera was a monstrous hybrid. In Rohrwacher’s world, it’s the unattainable: the treasure you seek but can never keep. For Arthur, the real chimera isn’t gold or ancient pottery. It’s Beniamina —a woman vanished into death, whose memory he chases through tunnels, dirt, and silence.

La Chimera offers a unique glimpse into the lives of the Etruscan people, who are often shrouded in mystery. The tomb provides valuable information about their:

Alice Rohrwacher's (2023) is a dreamlike excavation of memory, grief, and the weight of history. Set in 1980s Tuscany, it follows Arthur (Josh O'Connor), a disheveled British archaeologist with a supernatural gift: he can "divine" the locations of ancient Etruscan tombs using a dowsing rod. The Quest for the Impossible