Swept Away…By an Unusual Destiny in the Blue Sea of August
Set against the sun-drenched Mediterranean, Lina Wertmüller’s class comedy blends lightness and gravity in a subversive and original way.
Life is good on a luxury yacht sailing the Mediterranean, as the wealthy set off on a sailing holiday. Unfortunately, life is not so sweet for everyone on board. Least of all for Gennarino, who professes to be a communist and is constantly humiliated by the wealthy Raffaella. The circumstances cause shirts to dampen with sweat and snobs to fret. As the sun beats down, the classes clash amidst the stifling heat of the Cold War.
The intended dream vacation on the turquoise sea takes a nightmarish turn when Raffaella and Gennarino are separated from the others. After a long and agonising journey, their drifting boat ends up on a deserted island, where a primitive struggle for survival turns social roles upside down.
Politics and humour collide in a brutal manner in this classic European political film, which mixes contempt, mercy, revenge, and betrayal. Swept Away is an unconventional adventure comedy from half a century ago, written and directed by Lina Wertmüller (Love and Anarchy, R&A 1988), and in which one can find amusing parallels with Ruben Östlund’s film Triangle of Sadness (R&A 2022).
Omar Fasolah (translated by Moritz Müller)
Trailer
Collaboration
