Italian singer-songwriter Margherita Vicario's directorial debut Gloria! has garnered significant international interest ahead of its premiere at the Berlin Film Festival competition. The film, a vibrant musical comedy, is set in a late 18th-century Venetian female orphanage where a young rebel named Teresa leads a group of performers to challenge classical canons and pioneer a precursor to pop music.
Gloria! has secured distribution deals in nine territories, including France, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, Greece, Korea, and Bulgaria. The storyline follows a young underprivileged woman with visionary talent, portrayed by French-Italian actor Galatéa Bellugi, who collaborates with a quartet of female musicians to challenge societal norms and resist abuses by the institution's malevolent priest.
Margherita Vicario shared that her inspiration for the film stemmed from inquiries about women's roles in the music industry during her career as a singer-songwriter. The historical accuracy of the plot is emphasized, with authentic baroque musical instruments strung with animal gut strings featured in the production.
Produced by Valeria Jamonte, Manuela Melissano, and Carlo Cresto-Dina in collaboration with RAICinema and Katrin Renz at Tellfilm, Gloria! is slated for an Italian theatrical release on April 11 through 01 Distribution.
