I, Don Giovanni

Sexual references, violence and nudity
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Director: Carlos Saura
Cast: Lorenzo Balducci, Lino Guanciale, Emilia Verginelli, Tobias Moretti
Duration: 120 mins
Rating: M - Sexual references, violence and nudity
Release Date: 6 May, 2010

The world of Mozart is beautifully re-imagined in this elegant and at times rollicking retelling of the story behind the creation of one of his operatic masterpieces, Don Giovanni.

Although there are songs and theatrics in the film, this is not a simple restaging of the opera. Instead, director Carlos Saura dares to probe into the creative origins of Mozart's work, and emerges with a backstage tale that is full of both drama and the excesses of opera itself. There is love and certainly jealousy, in addition to scheming divas, court composers, faithful wives and ethereal young things. Central to the story is not the great composer but his overlooked librettist, whose life was the stuff of opera itself, and who used all this raw material as artistic inspiration.

Venice, 1763. Writer Lorenzo da Ponte (Lorenzo Balducci) is leading a very cavalier life. Originally a priest, his numerous affairs result in him being sent into exile in Vienna.?Supported by his friend and mentor Giacomo Casanova (Tobias Moretti), da Ponte is introduced in Vienna to the King’s favourite composer, Salieri (Ennio Fantastichini), and a newcomer named Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Lino Guanciale). ?Seeing an opportunity to undermine his rival's ascension, Salieri tricks Mozart into hiring this unknown libertine as his librettist.?But da Ponte’s own nature and sentimental wanderings in Vienna only inspire the composer, and lead to one of Mozart’s most bold and powerful compositions: Don Giovanni.