The Purple Sea (2009)

Viola di mare

Country of Origin: Italy

Primary Audio Language: Italian

Director: Donatella Maiorca

Film Length: 1h 45m

Synopsis: Nothing - not her father, not the church - can stop unruly Angela from being with her childhood best friend turned great love, Sara. Based on a true story, Viola di mare, presents a uniquely engaging portrait of family, community and gender roles in a 19th century Italian village.

Star Rating: ★★★★★

Review: A surprisingly touching lesbian romance period film set in 19th century Italy, whereas two women fall in love and must navigate a complicated and unsupportive world in order to be together.

Yet another movie I previously watched and was eager to view again with fresh eyes and new experiences. This movie, as many other LGBTQ+ foreign films, portray same-sex romance in a way that American-made films have so far either been unable, or maybe just unwilling, to do. Being a queer woman myself, I’ve found myself endlessly disappointed by the very few American movies that even attempt to touch on such romances, so this was a much needed and refreshing reminder that my only barrier to being able to watch meaningful movies depicting my romantic experiences is a one inch tall subtitle.

[Minor Spoilers] The movie follows the two main characters, Angela (played by Valeria Solarino) and Sara (Isabella Ragonese), from their friendship as young girls, through their early twenties, with their deepening feelings for each other, to the end in which, in order to be together and for their families to avoid the scandal of their relationship, Angela takes on the life and appearance of a man. Obviously, the journey is not as simple as just that. In their attempt to be together, the two women face opposition and various consequences for their feelings, but viewers can be assured it is eventually a happy ever after tale.

The Purple Sea is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming, and even historically accurate for the experience of many women loving women of the past. Anyone, LGBTQ+ or not, who enjoys a passionate romance will love this movie and will likely even be willing to broaden their horizons to other similar foreign films because of it.

The 14 Best Queer International Films of 2018

Available On: Amazon Prime, for Purchase

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this review- please leave a comment below to let me know what you thought, or make your own requests/recommendations for what I should watch next. Don’t forget to subscribe to receive updates about new reviews, posted every Wednesday and Saturday!