Gloria!

The year is 1800; the place, Sant Ignazio College, a decrepit old musical institute for girls, somewhere near Venice. Here lives “the Mute”, a silent, solitary maid tasked with the humblest chores. No one knows that her name is Teresa; no one suspects that she possesses an extraordinary talent that enables her to sense the harmony of the universe and reshape reality through music. While everyone at the college is making a huge fuss about the imminent visit of the newly enthroned Pope, and the old chapel master is struggling to put together a new composition for the Pontifex, Teresa makes a discovery in a storeroom: a brand-new invention, a beautiful instrument – a pianoforte. Around Teresa and her revolutionary “music machine” gathers an amazing quartet of young women: the best and most dynamic musicians of Sant Ignazio. From this secret cell of great yet overlooked talents, a new music will be born that takes the Pope, and the entire world, by surprise. Gloria! is about the imagination and talent of all the many female composers who, like pressed flowers, are hidden away in the pages of history.
by Margherita Vicario
with Galatéa Bellugi, Carlotta Gamba, Veronica Lucchesi, Maria Vittoria Dallasta, Sara Mafodda, Paolo Rossi, Elio, Vincenzo Crea, Natalino Balasso, Anita Kravos, Jasmin Mattei
Italy / Switzerland 2024 Italian 106’ Colour World premiere | Debut film

With

  • Galatéa Bellugi (Teresa)
  • Carlotta Gamba (Lucia)
  • Veronica Lucchesi (Bettina)
  • Maria Vittoria Dallasta (Marietta)
  • Sara Mafodda (Prudenza)
  • Paolo Rossi (Perlina)
  • Elio (Romeo)
  • Vincenzo Crea (Cristiano)
  • Natalino Balasso (Gouverneur)
  • Anita Kravos (Donna Lidia)
  • Jasmin Mattei (Fidelia)

Crew

Director Margherita Vicario
Screenplay Anita Rivaroli, Margherita Vicario
Cinematography Gianluca Rocco Palma
Editing Christian Marsiglia
Music Margherita Vicario, Davide Pavanello
Sound Design Xavier Lavorel
Sound Daniela Bassani
Production Design Luca Servino, Susanna Abenavoli
Costumes Mary Montalto
Make-Up Jean Cotter
Casting Massimo Appolloni
Producers Valeria Jamonte, Manuela Melissano, Carlo Cresto-Dina, Paolo del Brocco Rai Cinema
Co-Producer Katrin Renz
Co-Production Tellfilm Zürich

Margherita Vicario

Born in 1988, she produced her debut album “Minimal Musical” in 2014 while training as an actor at the Accademia Europea d’Arte Drammatica in Rome. Her Bachelor thesis explored Bertolt Brecht’s use of popular music in political theatre. After graduating, she studied the Dalcroze Method, an educational practice centred on cultivating the inherent musicality of children via rhythmic movement. In 2021, she released “Bingo”, her second album. Gloria! is her debut feature film as a writer and director.

Filmography

2024 Gloria!

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2024