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Luzzu

Submissions for Best International Feature (Academy Awards 2022)

Luzzu

2021

Alex Camilleri

Jesmark Scicluna, Michela Farrugia, David Scicluna Giusti, Frida Cauchi ...

6.5

816

Drama Jesmark, a Maltese fisherman, contends with a newfound leak in his wooden luzzu boat. Barely getting by, he sees his livelihood—and a family tradition from generations before him—imperiled by diminishing harvests, a ruthless fishing industry, and a stagnating ecosystem. Desperate to provide for his wife and their newborn son, whose growth impediment requires treatment, Jesmark gradually slips into an illicit black-market fishing operation. [+]

	Media	Author	Review
		Guy Lodge Variety	"This accomplished debut from Maltese-American filmmaker Alex Camilleri profiles little-represented lives with intelligence and integrity."
		Jordan Mintzer The Hollywood Reporter	"A moving tale of real-world strife (...) [Scicluna] provides a stoical presence that commands attention"
		Ryan Lattanzio IndieWire	"Beautifully shot, if at times emotionally restrained (...) But it boast a true discovery in the casting of Jesmark Scicluna"
		Sheila O'Malley rogerebert.com	"Authenticity can't be faked. This seems like an oversimplified or too-obvious statement, perhaps, but a film like 'Luzzu' shows the truth of it (…) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)"
		Michael Frank The Film Stage	"A simple, yet beautiful film due to this sense of place, 'Luzzu' highlights a story that’s rooted in tradition and particularity."
		Hoai-Tran Bui SlashFilm	"It feels like the beginnings of the Greek tragedy that had been telegraphed from the beginning: the Sisyphean image of a man holding back the flood of change with a rickety wooden boat"
		Wendy Ide Screendaily	"It is compelling enough as both a character study and a persuasive account of a threatened way of life to be of commercial interest."
		Phuong Le The Guardian	"Beautifully observed study (...) It feels like a pilgrimage back to one's roots, highlighting the specificities of the Maltese language and culture which are still underrepresented in world cinema (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Andy Crump Paste Magazine	"The world continues to change no matter what anyone does. Camilleri understands that dilemma and puts it on film with humble clarity"
		William Repass Slant	"Camilleri's most significant departures from his influences thankfully strain the integrity of the neorealist framework just enough to keep 'Luzzu' fresh, if not revolutionary (…) Rating: ★★½ (out of 4)"
		Valerie Complex Deadline	"As a first feature, Camilleri demonstrates that he understands storytelling (...) This subtle story of a fisherman in crisis manages to build a sense of triumph out of tragedy"
		Carlos Aguilar Los Angeles Times	"The film helps us sail into a place and a lifestyle most of us ignore but that are made vividly compelling in the hand of a new storyteller with classically honed sensibilities"
		Fabien Lemercier Cineuropa	"Camilleri reveals his talent with a subtle and unfamiliar debut feature film which tells an empathic, realist and informative tale of a young fisherman pushed to his limits"

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