Life is unforgiving on Lampedusa, a tiny, sun-washed island south of Sicily where time seems to stand still. The fishermen work hard, the boys play rough and the wives strain to keep everything on an even keel. All except Grazia (Valeria Golino), who keeps losing her balance. “Respiro” means “breath” in Italian, and every frame of this delicate, sensual film shimmers with the hot, languid rhythm of Mediterranean life. Talented writer-director Emanuele Crialese deftly insinuates us into the world of Lampedusa; if Grazia is a woman under the influence, by film’s end, viewers are also under the sway—of sun, sky and ocean.


Written by Emanuele Crialese. Photographed by Fabio Zamarion. With Valeria Golino, Vincenzo Amato, Francesco Casisa. 90 min. In Italian with subtitles. Sony Pictures Classics.