Gianfranco Rosi've decided to tell the tale of a part of his own country, roaming and filming for over two years in a minivan on Rome's giant ring road, the GRA, or GRA-to discover the invisible worlds and possible futures harbored in this area of constant turmoil. Elusive characters and fleeting apparitions emerge from the background of this winding zone.
The cumulative effect offers a tender tribute to the resilience of his subjects’ spirits against the thrum of traffic.
While it may prove frustratingly mundane for some, thanks to its intrinsic humanness Sacro GRA has a quiet power despite its crumbling aesthetic.
It works on its own terms, but it strays mightily close to TV docudrama.
It turns out to be a very beguiling, utterly uncliched love letter to Rome itself.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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