Corpo Celeste

"CAPTIVATING, COMPELLING, POWERFULLY MOVING!"
A young girl at the age of thirteen, prepares for Confirmation, but must deal with many challenges. Marta must deal with family problems, her own issues on religion, struggles of adolescence, and much more. She becomes brave and fearless to stand up for what she believes in, which causes problems with the Priest and her family. She struggles not only with her identity, but with peer pressure as she makes many attempts to cope. The story is compelling, heartfelt, and entertaining. Acting Performance Superb. Highly Recommended!

4.5 stars... outstanding coming of age and religion drama
First things first, I am a huge fan of the Film Movement library of foreign and indie movie, and this is the most recent (May, 2012) release. Film Movement releases films in the US on DVD that otherwise would never find an audience here.

"Corpo Celeste", roughly translated as "Celestial Body" (2011 release from Italy; 99 min.) brings the tender coming of age tale of 13 yr. old Marta, who recently relocated from Switzerland back to the family roots in southern Italy. She is preparing for Confirmation, a religious passage-of-age not unlike say the Bar/Bat Mitzvah in the Jewish faith, and the pressure to "fit in" with the rest of her Confirmation class is huge, not to mention the troubles at home (mon being non-functionally always in bed with some sickness, and disagreements with her 18 yr. old sister). There are no huge plot developments, we are simply watching Marta coping and getting ready for the day of Confirmation, as she struggles to find her identity. Religion plays a...

A Contemplative Italian Coming-Of-Age Story About Finding Personal Spirituality Amidst Organized Religion
It's so rare to see any serious contemplation of religion in movies today that the subject always feels fresh. The Italian film "Corpo Celeste," however, does not present itself as a message movie. It strikes a very personal tone as one young girl at the brink of womanhood tries to understand how religion might (or might not) be incorporated into her life. In a culture where religion is such a dominating force, 13-year old Marta might easily be dismissed as a trouble maker. But with a clear eye, she sees not the idea of religious practice but its implication. Instead of blindly accepting prescribed doctrine, she seems to be on a spiritual journey of her own. And her quiet reflection might be quite a bit more meaningful. I had heard certain criticism leveled at "Corpo Celeste" for its portrayal of the Catholic Church. Some say the portrait is too broad, but I heartily disagree. I think it presents the individuals involved as full fledged characters struggling to retain meaning...

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