The Eight Mountains (2022)

"Pietro" (a scene stealing Lupo Barbiero) is a young boy taken by his mother from their home in Turin to a small mountain village where amongst the dozen or so residents he befriends "Bruno" (Cristiano Sassella). The latter boy lives with his cheese-making uncle, content to follow in his footsteps. After a few trips, the visiting family decide to offer "Bruno" an opportunity for education in the city, but when that comes a cropper the two boys become a bit estranged not just from each other, but "Pietro" from his dad (Filippo Timi) too. It is only when his father dies that "Pietro" (now Luca Marinelli) returns to the mountain where he is reintroduced to "Bruno" (Alessandro Borghi) and advised that his father has left him a ramshackle cottage high above the snow line. The two set about restoring this ruin and simultaneously rediscover their friendship. What now ensues is a throughly engaging story of two men reconciling their similarities and their differences. The one content to live as his predecessors had, the other restless and ill-focussed. The treacherous mountain is but one of the challenges the men face as they grow older and world-wearier. The narrative also illustrates just how tough subsistence living - especially in any traditional sense - can be, and at times the despair is palpable. That said, there is plenty of understated joy here, too. This isn't a depressing watch, it's actually quite an illuminating and uplifting one that I really did enjoy for just shy of the 2½ hours running time. The acting is good, the writing is plausible and the photography: the drones are put to great effect bringing us the beauty and hostility of this enthralling environment. It's a film about friendship and integrity, this - warts and all - and it also warns us of the dangers to rural livelihoods if left unsupported and neglected by society at large - especially those urban amongst us, safely ensconced behind our double gazing. Thought-provoking with a characterful richness - well worth settling down to watch.