With its alluring black-and-white cinematography and evocative storytelling, Il Mare is a fascinating tale of love, loss, and redemption. Three lost souls - an actor, an antisocial youth and a wealthy matron - meet by chance on the deserted island of Capri in winter. Adding to the tensions, each one seems to bear a secret that is never revealed.

Premiering at the 1962 Venice Film Festival, this hauntingly poetic and modernist debut by Italian director Giuseppe Patroni Griffi (1921-2005) was initially dismissed by critics and largely ignored by audiences. Unavailable for years, it was championed by a few who saw it on release. Most notably, in 1991, artist/filmmaker Derek Jarman chose Il Mare as the film which made a significant impression on him as part of a season involving leading British directors at the National Film Theatre in London.

Bill Douglas and Peter Jewell loved the film and saw it repeatedly at The Academy Cinema in London in the 60s. In the recent book Bill Douglas A Film Artist, Peter talks about why it was their favourite film.

A 35mm print c/o of BFI National Archive. Presented in partnership with The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum at the University of Exeter.

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