DESCRIPTION
Vista Mare is a poetic and surrealist documentary revealing the hidden labour behind ‘a holiday in the sun’ on Italy’s Northern Adriatic Coastal resorts.
Shot over an entire working season (Feb to Oct), it takes viewers on a journey through an artificial landscape built to amuse vacationers. Vista Mare’s camera purposefully watches a multi-national army of seasonal labourers toiling from dawn to dark. Workers test remote-controlled umbrellas, meticulously prepare meals, and most importantly, jolly the patrons into having a good time. Meanwhile on the shoreline, thousands of guests paddle in the waves and enjoy carefully scheduled fun. Little wonder the demands of their jobs drive the workers to chant “Slaves? Never!” in a protest carefully overseen by the Police. In an absurdist loop, Vista Mare watches the workers, who watch other workers play, until the sky turns cloudy, the beaches empty, and the last umbrella closes.
REVIEWS & NEWS
Locarno Critics Week: Vista Mare by Julia Gutweniger and Florian Kofler, Business Doc Europe, 6 August 2023
“Perfectly static shots – true pictures that, together, create a visually striking harmony – prove to be the right way to show us a reality that is only apparently idyllic. – Marina Pavido, Cinema Austriaco, 8 August 2023