Diamanti Review: A Luscious 1970s Costume Melodrama Celebrating Seamstress Sisterhood
Director Ferzan Özpetek's latest film, Diamanti, is a sumptuously soapy dramedy that immerses viewers in the vibrant world of a 1970s Roman costume atelier. While the comedy may be light and the drama leans heavily into melodrama, sometimes bordering on the absurd, the film possesses an irresistible charm, particularly for those who appreciate queer-accented celebrations of women portrayed by powerhouse ensembles.
A Visual Feast of Craftsmanship and Camaraderie
The movie is a visual delight, awash with luscious period costumes that specialise in 18th-century silhouettes and bold 1970s prints. Audiences are treated to lust-inducing shots of silk fabric billowing in slanting sunlight, the meticulous beauty of carefully categorised button collections, and the heartfelt camaraderie of collective craftsmanship, especially in the intricate seamwork. Adding to the sensory experience are mouthwatering food footage and scenes where women bicker one moment and embrace in sisterly fashion the next, all set against a backdrop of vintage 70s Italian ballads.
Plot and Characters in a Fictional 1974 Rome
Set in 1974, the film follows sisters Alberta, played by Luisa Ranieri, and Gabriella, portrayed by Jasmine Trinca, as they run a bustling costume studio. Staffed by dozens of seamstresses and supported by a dyeing specialist and an in-house cook, the studio wins a commission to create costumes for an 18th-century feature film designed by the visionary Bianca Vega. The narrative is rich with soapy subplots, including tensions between the business-minded Alberta and her grief-damaged sister Gabriella, a battered wife urged to defy her husband, and a political protestor with a gift for passementerie.
Özpetek's Personal Touch and Stellar Cast Performance
Though Diamanti is described as a fluffy work from Özpetek, known for films like Hamam and Facing Windows, it clearly stems from a place of love and sincerity. Inspired by his visits to Roman costume studios in the 1980s, the director captures the essence of this world with a breathless script that never feels draggy across its 135-minute runtime. The stacked cast delivers excellent results, with costumes designed by Stefano Ciammitti that convince throughout, despite a climactic dress that leans more towards haute couture fantasy than practical film attire.
Diamanti is set to captivate UK and Irish cinema audiences from 17 April, offering a heartfelt, visually stunning exploration of sisterhood and craftsmanship in the film industry.
