Italian filmmaker Andrea Pallaoro has good luck at the Venice Film Festival. His feature debut, “Medeas,” won the Best Innovative Budget Award at the Lido in 2013. And his two follow-ups since then, 2021’s “Hannah” with Charlotte Rampling and last year’s “Monica,” had solid world premieres at Venice in each of those years.
READ MORE: ‘Monica’ Review: Trace Lysette Stuns In Andrea Pallaoro’s Quiet Family Drama [Venice]
Now it’s time for US audiences to see what all the fuss about “Monica” is about. Pallaoro’s latest feature stars Trace Lysette and Patricia Clarkson in a tender tale of familial reconnection and trans experience.
Here’s an official synopsis for “Monica,” courtesy of IFC Films:
MONICA is an intimate portrait of a woman who returns home after a long absence to confront the wounds of her past. Reconnecting with her mother and the rest of her family for the first time since leaving as a teenager, Monica embarks on a path of healing and acceptance. The film delves into Monica’s internal world and state of mind, her pain and fears, her needs and desires, to explore the universal themes of abandonment and forgiveness.
“Monica” also stars Emily Browning, Adriana Bazzara, and Joshua Close. Pallaoro co-writes the film with Orlando Tirado. Christina Dow, Eleanora Granata-Jenkinson, Pallaoro, and Gina Resnick serve as the film’s producers.
The Playlist’s review praised “Monica,” saying, “Pallaoro’s quiet film wields the paradoxical power of cinema to create pure illusion” (read the review here). So how will Pallaoro’s latest do in theaters? Find out when IFC releases the film on May 12. Watch a trailer for the film below.