Respiro

Set on the gorgeous island of Lampedusa just off the coast of western Sicily, RESPIRO tells the tale of Grazia (a brilliant Valeria Golino), a wife and mother whose unpredictable antics make her the talk of the island. Nonetheless, her family--husband Pietro (Vincenzo Amato), daughter Marinella (Veronica D'Agostino), sons Pasquale (Francesco Casisa) and Filippo (Filippo Pucillo)--love her dearly. After Grazia commits several increasingly wreckless acts, the townspeople convince Pietro to send her to a mental institution. Determined to remain on the island, close to her family, Grazia enlists the aid of Pasquale, who sets her up in a nearby cave. After searching for days, Pietro discovers her sun dress lying on the sand, and the island mourns her death. But after Pietro swims into the sea to plant a statue of the Virgin Mary, his prayers for her return are somehow answered. Based on an ancient Lampedusa legend, RESPIRO sets a mood that is at once realistic and fantastical, which reflects the energy of the island itself. Playing the passionate, fiery, and loving Grazia, Golino shows why she is one of cinema's most electrifying actresses.