Agalma

Italian director Doriana Monaco’s documentary debut is an atmospheric introspection into the lives of the Neapolitan National Archeological Museum’s residents. Now that Pompeii erupts only in tourism, statues come alive. As are sculptures, frescoes, and mosaics studied in laboratories, the film analyses the detailed archeological work and the international visitors’ tired faces. The film balances a silent observation and a rhythmic collage and respectfully depicts the museum as an irreplaceable space and intellectual entity. The museum closes and the last laggards with their cameras slip out the door. The guides are already home. A whisper passes among the statues, but their faces remain stoned. A party of ancient proportions is planned. (Academia Film Olomouc)