MAURA DELPERO

I really try to open certain doors that our unconscious closes. - Maura Delpero

Italian writer and director MAURA DELPERO blends observation and artistry, drawing on real-life experiences to create socially incisive and deeply human stories. Her debut feature MATERNAL was inspired by her own questions around maternity and the emotions, doubts and fears it evokes. During her research, she discovered 'hogars' — communities of teenage mothers run by nuns — and offered cinema workshops there, shaping the foundation of her first film. 

Her latest feature VERMIGLIO was inspired by a dream of her late father as a child who was from this eponymous Alpine village. Set towards the end of WWII, it is an intimate period piece about a local teacher's family, his three daughters and the unexpected arrival of a refugee soldier. The film's observations about women, love, queerness, sexual freedom and motherhood are interlaced with painterly cinematography, referencing the work of artists like Segantini and Friedrich.

Drawing from her documentary roots (TEACHERS, NADEA AND SVETA), Delpero immersed herself in the Vermiglio valley, casting local residents to create an authentic portrayal of the community. It’s exciting to welcome Delpero to the collection - she is an erudite, perceptive and sensorial filmmaker who is deeply passionate about the representation of women on screen.

VERMIGLIO is released in UK cinemas on January 17th