He Lives in the Midst of SIN

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to DVD from Oscar nominated director Konchalovsky and Corinth Films is the story of the life and struggles of Michelangelo in SIN.

Michelangelo Buonarroti (Alberto Testone) is living in Florence in the 16^th century working himself almost to death. Struggling to paint and sculpt at the whim of those who have money, and the church are breaking him. The Sistine Chapel has stopped the coin to his account which also is being dipped into by his father Ludovico (Andriano Chiaramida) and brother Giovan (Roberto Serpi).

Pope Julius II adores Michelangelo referring to him as ‘divine’ even if he causes the elder pontiff headache after headache. Wanting Michelangelo to do the statues for his tomb, it all begins to fall apart when there is a change from the Della Rovere family to the Medici family. He puts everything into the work, including going to the town of Carrara and looking for only the finest, purest white marble to work with.

That is when he sees a piece that will be known as ‘the monster’ for its size, local and how to get it down off the mountain. Being called to hold to his contract with the Della Rovere family, he is called to the chamber of the new head of the church Pope Leo X (Simone Toffanin) who wants a contract with him as well. He wants a new façade to the San Lorenzo basilica.

Caught in between these two powerful families, Michelangelo becomes torn, and his mental state is pushed to the limits as there is no one he can trust. All around him is deception, secrets, death and his own questioning of the work of Michelangelo.

Testone as Michelangelo carries the film from the first frame to the last. Trying his best to stay alive while making two powerful families happy is what begins to destroy him. Pope Julius II gave him plenty of space (no matter how aggravated it made him to do so) to create some of the most powerful, moving and stunningly beautiful art that still moves the human spirit today. Looking to make only the best statues out of marble, he struggles again between contracts, but it is those around him that want every fiber of his being.

Following the story, it is when he finds ‘the monster’ that I am riveted by Testone and his insatiable need for that piece of marble. Yes, it is beautiful but at what cost will it be to get it where he wants it to go. His world continues to crumble around him because each person he lets into his life wants a pound of flesh and a bag of gold to be either closest to him or closest to killing him.

Other cast include Orso Guerrini as Malaspina, Jakob Diehl as Peppe, Glen Blackhall as Raphael, Nicola De Paola as Cardinale De’Medici, Anita Pititto as Marchesa D’Este, Antonio Gargiula as Francesco della Rovere, and Federico Vanni as Jacopo Sansovino.

Corinth Films has been distributing foreign and independent arthouse cinema to audiences since 1977. Beginning with such classics as David Lynch’s EARASERHEAD and Deferico Fellini’s 8 ½, Corinth’s most recent releases have included films by up-and-coming international directors such as Nadav Lapid and Mika Kaurismaki as well as acclaimed auteurs such as Andrei Knchalovsky, Mohsen Makhmalbag and Edgar Reitz. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.corinthfilms.com. 

The Bonus Features including The Making of SIN and Q&A with Konchalovsky moderated by Alex Kaluzhsky.

SIN is a story that will not let the viewer take one moment of breath no matter what the scene because there is always something more behind it. Testone’s Michelangelo can be sitting on a piece of rock, walking for miles talking to himself or confronting those around him and underneath it all is an artist’s madness that is gaining ground.

This is a large cast for this one hundred- and thirty-four-minute story and each contribute in some way to how Michelangelo responds to the situations in his life. From the Pope to the stone masons, he gets respect but at the same time jealousy rears its ugly head from Raphael to those who are supposed to be helping him.

Underneath the madness as well is the artists beauty that he finds in a young girl’s hand and in a piece of stone making him feel a sense that what he does has meaning. I do not believe that Michelangelo could ever have imaged that his work, life and beauty could be seen and experienced five centuries later.

In the end – deceiver, scoundrel and genius!