GamerTab That was an excellent one.

Unlimitedia Sick Product of a Sick System

Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

Aubrey Hackett While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

cbeatric The film Anita B by Roberto Faenza is a heartwarming, dramatic masterpiece. Shortly after World War II, a young Hungarian woman named Anita leaves the concentration camp where she spent the war. Anita moves in with her aunt Monica, a woman hardened by survivor's guilt, Monica's husband, their son, and Eli, Monica's brother-in-law. While Anita tries hard to remember her past, Monica fights to forget. Anita finds solace in her friendship with Eli, which quickly escalates into an unhealthy relationship. Anita's time in Czechoslovakia is marked by heartache and growth. As Anita finds her identity, we see her confidence soar. Despite the obstacles, Anita fights for what she knows is right and refuses to ever back down.Anita B closely follows Anita's life after her time in Auschwitz. Within the first few minutes of the film, we see the look of despair on the young girl's face, despite her freedom from the concentration camp. We quickly understand that she is orphaned and, much like we will see with her aunt later, experiencing survivor's guilt. Faenza's ability to convey so much in such a small amount of time only begins to show his capacity as a director. Anita's desire to remember the events of her life set up initial conflict between her and her aunt. Monica knew the horrors of the camps, yet ignored them in an effort to suppress her true feelings about recent events.Anita turns to her friendship with Eli in an effort to find an ally. Eli provides Anita with guidance and acts as a buffer between Anita and Monica by defending and protecting her. Eli's feelings toward Anita, however, appear to grow into romantic attraction and his lack of subtlety is evident to viewers. Initially hesitant, Anita feigns sleep and laughs off his advances. While her attraction is noticeable, her insecurities dominate her mind and prevent her from moving forward. Eli is a complex character, and his previous dedication to his fiancé shows that he is capable of the kind of love Anita craves. Despite this capacity, we see Eli turn into a complacent lover. Eli is fully aware of Anita's love for him, yet acts selfishly and emotionally distant. We understand that Eli's past had a profound impact on his character, yet it is hard not to get frustrated by his actions.Anita's story is told against the beautiful background of Czechoslovakia after World War II. We see pride and shame from Jewish characters, the fear of being associated with the Nazis, and the overall degradation of certain groups. Despite living in these conditions, the undertones of strength are evident. Faenza portrays a people not broken, but reevaluating what it means to be Jewish. The hardships portrayed in the film really resonate with the audience and make deep, personal connections with viewers. This beautiful film is surely going to be a hit, and the story is so powerful that it should be retold. It is important not to ignore or forget, but to remember.

ccyoke Directed by Roberto Faenza, Anita B. is an Italian film loosely based on the 2009 autobiographic novel "Quanta stella c'è nel cielo" by Edith Bruck. Anita B. paints a beautiful portrait of a young, orphaned Auschwitz survivor as she attempts to adjust to life in post-war Cszeckoslovaki with her Aunt Monika, Monika's husband Aron, their son Robby, and Aron's brother Eli. While Anita grieves the death of her parents, she must also cope with her aunt's resentment, a tumultuous love affair with Eli, and her struggle to find an individual to confide in. When Monika and Eli demand that Anita leave Auschwitz behind, Anita's only confidante is Monika's baby, Robby. Anita finds brief stability in a relationship, but when Anita befriends a young Jewish man named David and her relationship with Eli becomes unhealthy, Anita once must again escape a complex and stifling situation to pursue a more promising life.While Faenza's film succeeds in several areas, not the least of which is the film's beautiful cinematography, the film's greatest strength lies in the development of its characters. Particularly compelling is the relationship between Anita and Eli, played by Eline Powell and Robert Sheehan respectively. Their blossoming affair delves into uncertainty as the upbeat and charming Eli succumbs to his anger. The complexity of Eli's character development is significant in that Faenza is careful not to portray any one villain; in other words, Eli himself is a victim of the war and of the Holocaust, he too carrying his own burden and traumas. Thus, Powell and Sheehan, whose performances are equally impressive, capture the spirit of young survivors each riddled with their own anxieties, memories, and troubles: a combination of which proves to be unhealthy for both parties, especially Anita. This complexity likewise manifests itself in the character of Monika, Anita's aunt. Often cold and dismissive, Monika's own struggle to cope with her brother's death results in a well-intentioned yet notably strained relationship with her niece. Faenza not only captures the nuances of complex relationships, but he also portrays the characters struggling with their own identities. In particular, Anita must suppress her identity as a Jewish Hungarian in order to survive; in fact, most of Faenza's characters must grapple with what it means to be Jewish in this new, still hostile and anti Semitic post-Holocaust environment.Faenza's approach to character development more than pays off; this film in its entirety is cinematographically breathtaking, emotionally compelling, sincere, and hopeful in a way that does not feel cliché. The film captures the complexities, nuances, and hardships that must have accompanied survivors of the Holocaust. Though Faenza's characters, especially Anita, are faced with adversity even after the war's conclusion, they tackle them with a raw honesty that is both heartbreaking and hopeful. Thus, the film does less to capture to the horror and atrocities of the 1940's, and does more to pay homage to those who remarkably lived and endured.

mreno2 Anita B. is a compelling story about a broken, young woman discovering who she is. Although this same story has been told time and again, Anita's story is special because of its historical setting. This film illustrates a post-war era that is often ignored by filmmakers and authors alike. It brings to light a time where individuals were struggling to embrace the future they had once believed to be nonexistent.The best part of the film was the characters. The viewer has the pleasure to watch Anita grow and change throughout the film. At the start of the film, Anita is clearly lost and completely naïve about the world outside of the concentration camp. She is tucked away in Monica's house because she needs a safe place where she can become whole again. It is wonderful to watch as she begins to gain the confidence to explore the new world and her new self. By the end of the film, the viewer feels as though we have been set free with her, and it has a tremendously uplifting effect. Eli's character is also brilliantly crafted. Although he is far less dynamic than Anita, his effect on the viewer is still surprising. His character is on a sliding scale between love and hate, and the slide moves in both directions throughout the film. His role is one of the lovable villain, which is an oxymoron most characters cannot achieve. Paired with Anita, Eli and his complexity work in harmony to create a beautiful and dangerous relationship.The film itself is beautiful. The sepia lighting gives the film an old and warm atmosphere for the characters to live in. It helps bring the viewer into the past in a way that is comfortable and familiar. The smooth camera work is noticeable as the shots seem to melt together in a smooth sequence. The effect allows the viewer to focus solely on the characters and the story line without unnecessary distraction. Due to the smoothness of the cinematics, the film flows very naturally and does not drag or become dull as other films do. It is all very pleasing to the eye.I would recommend this film to cinematic connoisseurs and romantics alike. The cinematic beauty of the film and the complex relationship between Anita and Eli make this film visually and emotionally captivating. Overall, it is a very good film.

niutta-enrico I will start listing the good things I found in this movie: it transmits the passion that has been put in the making. It deals finely with the most delicate matter of the past Century: the genocide of six million Jews during World War II. It gives hope. On the other hand, however, it shows the (most irritating to me) lack of narrative depth that I so frequently find in modern Italian productions. What kind of audience could find convincing a woman saying to a girl she just met 'the best way to explain to you what love means is playing this melody on the piano'? And people who hurt other people, why would do they do that? We are not given an explanation of their behavior, not a hint. Should we believe that they are just born different from the others, that mankind could be divided into those who keep smiling (the good ones), those who never do (the bad ones) and those who sneer (the deceiving ones)? I hate it when the script requires me a leap of faith to believe the story.I have my own theory: I think Italian cinema has reached an all-time low and people by now are so used to bad films that good Authors (like the present ones) do not feel anymore the need for a really good production, starting from a sound screenplay. I am Italian and I love movies. Nothing could please me more than watching beautiful Italian movies.