Francesca is a 2015 Argentinian horror thriller written and directed by Luciano Onetti and produced by Nicolas Onetti, in the Italian language. The filmmaking duo also made What the Waters Left Behind and Sonno Profondo in 2013.
The movie stars Raul Gederlini, Silvina Grippaldi, Luis Emilio Rodríguez, Gustavo D’Alessandro.
It has been fifteen years since the disappearance of little Francesca, daughter of the renowned storyteller, poet and dramatist Vittorio Visconti, and the community is stalked by a psychopath bent on cleaning the city of “impure and damned souls”.
Baffled by the ineffectiveness of the police force, Moretti and Succo, are the detectives in charge of elucidating the mystery surrounding these “Dantesque” crimes. Francesca seems to have returned, but she is not the same girl whom everyone knew…
Reviews:
“The film is bleeding with visuals that not only capture an era long gone…but, also add some new striking imagery into the world of giallo. Francesca truly feels like a newly discovered old Italian classic. The soundtrack is pitch-perfect… and the look of it is truly exquisite, complete with solid performances throughout. Francesca is the new standard of giallo… and a bold step forward for the Onetti brothers.” Film Deviant
There are so many impressive things about the Onetti brothers’ film. As I said before, they are somehow able to almost perfectly catch the feel and the vibe of the giallo films of the early 1970s, from the music to the look to the story full of twists and turns. Their kill scenes are gruesome and stylish, while the mystery of the whole thing easily draws in the audience and keeps them guessing, even when we think it seems fairly obvious who the killer is.” Horror News
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“The performances are appropriate for the film, with the dubbing just enough to look unnatural, but not so much as to be distracting. The score is another way in which the film links scenes together, while once again having a nostalgic feel without feeling desperate. A niche picture certainly, and one that may not be converting any new fans to the genre, but one that should be admired for knowing exactly what it wants to be and how to achieve it.” The Hollywood News
“Francesca is visually striking and beautiful to watch, but as far as an engaging thriller is concerned, it did not hit that mark that for me.” Screen Anarchy
“For fans of giallo, this is unmissable – a work which, despite its flaws, places Onetti alongside the masters of the genre. For those unfamiliar with giallo it will be startling, like cinema from another planet – you may feel hopelessly lost, or want to be sick, or fall in love.” Eye for Film
Buy DVD: Amazon.com
Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk
Release:
Francesca had its world premiere at the Sitges Film Festival in October 2015.
Trailer:
