Small Body

Small Body
Italian theatrical release poster
ItalianPiccolo corpo
Directed byLaura Samani
Screenplay by
Story byLaura Samani
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMitja Ličen
Edited byChiara Dainese
Music byFredrika Stahl
Production
companies
Distributed byIstituto Luce
Release dates
  • 10 July 2021 (2021-07-10) (Cannes)
  • 19 January 2022 (2022-01-19) (Slovenia)
  • 10 February 2022 (2022-02-10) (Italy)
  • 16 February 2022 (2022-02-16) (France)
Running time
89 minutes
Countries
  • Italy
  • France
  • Slovenia
Languages

Small Body (Italian: Piccolo corpo) is a 2021 historical drama film directed by Laura Samani, in her feature film directorial debut, and written by Samani, Elisa Dondi and Marco Borromei [it] from an original story by Samani. Set in rural early-20th century Northeast Italy, it follows a peasant mother (Celeste Cescutti) who travels to a sanctuary in the northern mountains to grant her unbaptised stillborn child access to Heaven, with the help of a rugged, new acquaintance (Ondina Quadri [it]) as guide. An Italian-French-Slovenian co-production of Nefertiti Film, Rai Cinema, Tomsa Films, and Vision, it was shot entirely in Friulian and Venetian language for historical accuracy reasons.

It had its world premiere at the Critics' Week sidebar of the 74th Cannes Film Festival on 10 July 2021, before being released on 19 January 2022 in Slovenia by Vertigo, on 10 February 2022 in Italy by Istituto Luce, and on 16 February 2022 in France by Arizona Distribution. It won various accolades, including a David di Donatello for Best New Director and the European Film Award for the Discovery of the Year.

Plot

Agata's baby is stillborn. According to Catholic tradition, its soul is condemned to Limbo. When she hears of a church whose priest has the supernatural power to bring a dead child back to life she ventures on a journey with the child in a coffin on her back.

Cast

Reception

Small Body has an approval rating of 100% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 17 reviews, and an average rating of 7.7/10. Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 77 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Awards

2022 Winner David Best New Director (Migliore Regista Esordiente)

2022 Nominee David Best Song (Migliore Canzone)

2021 Nominee Grand Prix de la Semain de la Critique

2021 Nominee Caméra d'or

2022 - Winner best first feature to Laura Samani

Winner best first feature to Laura Samani

2022 Winner European Film Award, European Discovery - Prix Fipresci

2022 Nominee Best New Director (Migliore Regista Esordiente)

2021 Nominee Sutherland Award First Feature Competition

2021 Winner Sutherland Award - Honourable Mention

2022 Nominee  International Competition: Full-Length Films

2022 Winner Special Jury Diploma International Competition: Full-Length Films

2022 Nominee New Voices/New Visions Grand Jury Prize

2021 Winner Vesna Best Minority Coproductions

2021 Winner Vesna Best Cinematography (Mitja Licen)

2021 Nominee Bronze Horse Best Film

2023 Winner SNCCI Award Best Italian Film

2021 Winner Audience Award International Competition

2022 Winner Dublin Film Critics Award - Best Director

2022 Winner Golden Globe Best First Feature (Migliore Opera Prima)

2022 Winner Emerging Filmmaker Award

2022 Nominee Best Cinematography (Mitja Licen)

10th place

2022 Nominee Golden Ciak Best First Feature (Migliore Opera Prima)

2021 Winner Audience Award - Historias Extraordinarias

2021 Winner Acting Prize Best Actor (Celeste Cescutti, Ondina Quadri)

2021 Nominee Grand Prize Chéries-Chéris Feature Film

2022 Nominee Casa Rossa Best Film (Miglior Film)

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bradshaw, Peter (2022-04-05). "Small Body review – a sublimely shot parable of spiritual redemption". The Guardian. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  2. 1 2 3 4 De Marco, Camillo (10 July 2021). "Review: Small Body". Cineuropa. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 Vivarelli, Nick (8 July 2021). "Small Body Director Laura Samani on Catholicism, Female Empowerment and Gender Fluidity". Variety. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  4. ↑ Godnik, Ivana (10 February 2022). "Z magičnim realizmom prepojeno Telesce" [Small Body infused with magical realism]. Primorski dnevnik (in Slovenian). Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  5. ↑ "Small Body" (in Italian). mymovies.it. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  6. ↑ "Small Body" (in French). arizonafilms.fr. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  7. ↑ "Small Body". European Film Awards. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  8. ↑ "Italian Pressbook" (PDF) (in Italian). Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  9. ↑ "Small Body". Rotten Tomatoes.
  10. ↑ "Small Body". Metacritic.