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04.23.2019
Farinelli
Directed by
Gerard Corbiau
In the 18th century during Handel's time, no man was more famous or more celebrated than the castrato, Farinelli. The incredible, true story of the world famous opera singer - who was castrated during childhood in order to preserve his voice - comes to life in this Oscar-nominated drama of high notes and even higher passions.
Director & Cast
- Director: Gerard Corbiau
- Starring: Stefano Dionisi
- Starring: Enrico Lo Verso
- Starring: Elsa Zylberstein
- Starring: Caroline Cellier
- Starring: Jeroen Krabbé
Where to Watch
Trailer
Photos
Reviews
- "Stops you in your tracks and transports you to a phantasmagorical world where music, mystery and magic hold sway."
- "For all its emotional extravagance and sheer Baroque lushness, "Farinelli" is actually a triumph of taut control and superb structuring. "
- "Farinelli is great fun and sufficiently thoughtful and complex to give food for continuing thought."
- "Exquisite-looking, well-acted and impeccably staged, the film is best watched as a juicy, gossipy guilty pleasure with the added cache of a “serious” subject (i.e., opera). There’s an excellent hi-def transfer; extras include a making-of featurette and on-set interviews."
- "The Blu-ray transfer in 2K helps preserve a truly splendid piece of moviemaking about a subject of which we've seen far too little. And don't miss the nearly hour-long Bonus Feature, Nostalgia for a Lost Voice, which details how so much of this amazing movie was researched and filmed -- with special attention to the way in which Farinelli's unusual voice was recreated, using the voices of two different singers, a female soprano and male counter-tenor, then seamlessly joining the two in the sound studio. Fascinating!"
- "...a film that apparently takes some major liberties with Farinelli’s life and times but still functions as a pungent chronicle of the era."
- "The movie will appeal to fans of opera as well as those who enjoy lush period pieces."
- "The film is a sumptuous, extraordinarily moving and beautifully produced costume drama biopic...It’s another musical masterwork from Belgian director Gérard Corbiau."
- "The story is a richly dramatic one that's well-acted and impeccably rendered, with fine costumes and locations including some of the grandest opera houses in Europe"
- "FARINELLI is both a visual and aural confection and a dramatic delight that one can indulge in like a rich dessert. And like any sumptuous treat, I didn't want it to end."
- "Mix the plot of Milos Forman’s Amadeus with that of Robert Altman’s Vincent & Theo — and add a splash of David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers for the kinkiness factor — and you’ll have a fair approximation of the events transpiring in this Belgian import that’s loosely based on a true story"
- "Mix the plot of Milos Forman’s Amadeus with that of Robert Altman’s Vincent & Theo— and add a splash of David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers for the kinkiness factor — and you’ll have a fair approximation of the events transpiring in this Belgian import that’s loosely based on a true story"
Nominated
Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Awards
Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Awards
Winner
Best Foreign Language Film
Golden Globes
Best Foreign Language Film
Golden Globes
Winner
NBR Award
National Board Of Review
NBR Award
National Board Of Review
Winner
Audience Award
Palm Springs Int'l. Film Festival
Audience Award
Palm Springs Int'l. Film Festival
Winner
Best Costume Design
Cesar Awards
Best Costume Design
Cesar Awards
Winner
Best Sound
Cesar Awards
Best Sound
Cesar Awards
Winner Best Costume Design
David di Donatello Awards
David di Donatello Awards