Freaks vs The Reich
2023 / 2 hr 21 minFour circus performers with special talents and their ringmaster, magician Israel, try to escape Fascist Italy in this jaw-droppingly wild historical fantasy. And did I mention the 12-fingered Nazi impresario Franz who has the ability to see the future? Dubbed by one critic “A Shoah-reversing fantasy of liberation and revenge,” the deliriously different take on the super-hero and Holocaust genres boasts a wealth of imagination, boldness, and dazzling imagery. The titular freaks are Mathilde, a sweet young woman whose touch can electrocute or light a village; Fulvio, a strong, hair-covered man-beast; the albino Cencio, who can charm all insects to his will; and the dwarf, Mario, whose magnet powers allow him to attract metal objects. Cinephile director Gabriele Mainetti pays loving homage to the films that inspired him. Can you spot the Spielberg tributes? Winner of six 2022 David di Donatello Awards; Audience Award, Rotterdam. –Alissa Simon
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