There is something undeniably magical about watching an enormous creative production come together, and La Scala: The Force of Destiny captures that magic beautifully. Director Anissa Bonnefont takes audiences inside Milan’s legendary Teatro alla Scala, offering an intimate and absorbing look at the months of preparation behind a production of Giuseppe Verdi’s The Force of Destiny.
Rather than simply documenting the finished opera, the film becomes fascinated by everything that has to happen before the curtain rises. From rehearsals and auditions to costume fittings, set construction, choreography and the work of the orchestra and chorus, Bonnefont reveals an extraordinary ecosystem of artists and technicians working towards one monumental night.
The sense of anticipation gradually becomes the film’s greatest dramatic device. There is a ticking clock hanging over everything. Decisions need to be made, problems need to be solved and expectations continue to rise as opening night approaches. Even without the conventional structure of a fictional drama, The Force of Destiny develops a surprisingly gripping narrative simply by allowing us to witness the pressure of the creative process.
And then there is the music. Verdi’s work provides the film with an emotional heartbeat, while the presence of performers including Anna Netrebko, Brian Jagde and Ludovic Tézier gives the documentary an extraordinary sense of scale.
What I particularly appreciated is that La Scala: The Force of Destiny doesn’t require you to be an opera expert to appreciate what it is doing. At its heart, this is a film about people pursuing something extraordinary. It is about the discipline, collaboration, nerves and passion required to transform an idea on a page into a living performance in front of thousands of people.
At 92 minutes, La Scala: The Force of Destiny is beautifully paced, gradually building towards the moment we’ve been waiting for. When opening night finally arrives, the payoff feels earned because we have witnessed the enormous effort that made it possible.
Screening as part of the St. ALi Italian Film Festival.
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