Golino is the only professional in the cast, which is otherwise made up of local islanders. Usually confined to support roles in Hollywood, such as in Rain Man and Frida, she responds magnificently to having the lead, conveying Grazia's spontaneity and close relationship with her daughter and two sons with vibrance and subtlety. She is admirably supported by Vincenzo Amato, in real life a sculptor, as her fisherman husband, who brings a gentle strength to the role. Francesco Casisa, who plays her 14 year old son Pasquale, steals many of his scenes with a brooding combination of tenderness and brutality.

Winner of three awards at the Cannes Film Festival, Respiro draws great strength from Crialese's realist depiction of family and community life, but the final scene raises it to another plane with an almost mythical sequence. Crialese's use of symbolism is subtle and effective, with recurrent images of animals trapped by humans that perfectly mirror the social restraints put on Grazia's behaviour. There is some great cinematography, with the scenes shot underwater the most stunning of the film. Backed up by John Surman's mesmerizing saxophone score, it is an aesthetically beautiful and atmospheric film.

'Respiro' will take your breath away
Review date: 2004-06-26 Rating: 10 out of 10

This film is absolutely stunning. Shot entirely on the island of Lampedusa, southwest of Sicily, the scenery is breath taking. On the island, time stands still. The locals are introverted and speak in Sicilian dialect. The men fish for a living and children play on the cliffs. Life is steeped in tradition and ritual. Grazia (Valeria Golino) is a fisherman's wife and mother of three. Her behaviour is unconventional, one moment she is affectionate, the next aggressive. She is shunned by society because of this. Her family decide to send her away to Milan to seek expert medical advice. But if Grazia really is "ill" then it is her spirit that is sick. Grazia is tired of her closed and suffocating environment. She longs to let go which is why she finds the sea so inviting...

'Respiro' won three awards at the 2002 Cannes film festival and it is not hard to see why. The film is beautifully shot and the actors are perfect because they are incredibly real. There is little dialogue and this is appropriate because visually 'Respiro' is a true delight and this allows for the viewer to become completely absorbed by the landscape and pace of the film without having to concentrate too hard. The film is fascinating and intriguing. Above all we want to know what lies behind the hauntingly beautiful Grazia and her faraway eyes, as transparent as the ocean itself.

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