I was really enjoying this movie, loving the people and gently grieving with them over the accelerating decline of their remarkable community ... until about a third of the way in. That's when a short scene incidentally (it was not the main focus of the scene) showed the most appalling animal abuse I have seen in a very, very long time, as if it was a perfectly normal activity integral to the way of life in that village. The fact that the abuse was superficially so unremarkable, so commonplace, with no violence or drama at all -- not even noticeable if the viewer didn't happen to be looking at the relevant corner of the screen and realize exactly what it was he was seeing -- made it all the more chilling and appalling.
That scene INSTANTLY killed ALL of my interest in the people of Monticchiello and ALL of my sympathy for their disappearing world. What hypocrites! I hope they don't survive until next year or even next month. Good riddance.
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