While reality shows are now a staple of the television landscape, it’s easy to forget that when they first arrived, it wasn’t just about providing a voyeuristic look into the lives of others. These shows offered hope. "American Idol" is perhaps the best example of this, and at its prime, it made a nation believe that the next big superstar could be found anywhere. It’s that feeling of aspiration that’s part of Alice Rohrwacher‘s "The Wonders."
Featuring the director’s sister Alba Rohrwacher and Monica Bellucci, the film revolves around a family of beekeepers in central Italy who find their lives disrupted by a teenage boy they take on as a farmhand, and the promise of a reality TV show eager to showcase them. It’s a coming-of-age story told through the eyes of Gelsomina, and as you’ll see in this exclusive clip, there is a yearning for a life beyond the rural environs she knows.
"The Wonders" won the Grand Prize Of The Jury at Cannes in 2014 and opens in limited release on Friday, October 30th. Watch below.
