The Valley of Stone
| The Valley of Stone | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Maurizio Zaccaro |
| Screenplay by | Ermanno Olmi Maurizio Zaccaro |
| Produced by | Mario Cecchi Gori Roberto Cicutto Vincenzo Di Leo Marcello Siena |
| Starring | Charles Dance Aleksander Bardini |
| Cinematography | Pasquale Rachini |
| Edited by | Paolo Cottignola Maurizio Zaccaro |
| Music by | Alessio Vlad Claudio Capponi |
Release date |
|
| Language | Italian |
The Valley of Stone (Italian: La valle di pietra), also known as Stone Valley and Kalkstein, is a 1992 Italian drama film directed by Maurizio Zaccaro and starring Charles Dance. It premiered at the 49th Venice International Film Festival.
Plot
Cast
- Charles Dance as the surveyor
- Aleksander Bardini as the parish priest
- Miroslav Kadič as the parish priest as a child
- Fabio Bussotti as the surveyor's assistant
- Klara Neroldová as Julia
- Rudolf Hrušínský as Uno
- Miloš Kopecký as Judge Escher
- Miroslav Donutil as Herr Stipetic
Production
The film is an adaptation from the novel Kalkstein by Adalbert Stifter.[1] It was mostly shot between Bohemia and Tuscany.[2]
Release
The Valley of Stone had its world premiere at the 49th edition of the Venice Film Festival, serving as opening film of the Venice International Film Critics' Week sidebar.[1]
Reception
La Repubblica's film critic Paolo D'Agostini praised the director, owning "a rare directorial talent: the ability to make his films seem richer than they actually are", and paired the film to the "most inspired" Krzysztof Zanussi's works.[1] Deborah Young from Variety also lauded the film, calling it "a tale capable of bringing tears to the eyes", that is directed with "a rock-line solidity" and "radiates a pious simplicity that should appeal [...] all emotionally susceptible viewers".[3] Paolo Mereghetti described it as "a distinctive elegy about sacrifice, remembrance, and friendship that more than once succeeds in touching the viewer's heart".[2]
References
- ^ a b c D'Agostini, Paolo (4 September 1992). "C' e' un segreto nel passato del parroco...". la Repubblica. p. 27.
- ^ a b Mereghetti, Paolo (2010). "Valle di pietra - Kalkstein, La". Il Mereghetti 2011. Vol. 2. Baldini Castoldi Dalai. ISBN 978-88-6073-626-0.
- ^ Young, Deborah (12 October 1992). "Kalkstein - The Valley of Stone". Variety. Vol. 348, no. 12. p. 188.