Writing about La Chimera in the concise, linear format of a review is a real challenge for me. Not because it's especially opaque or impenetrable; on the contrary, it makes for quite welcoming viewing. But the new Italian movie from writer-director Alice Rohrwacher is alive in the way great art can sometimes be. Its ideas are many, and its way of exploring them encourages an open, active mind.

Trying to lock it into the rigid language of description, I fear, would sacrifice the forest for the trees. I feel as if I was led into one of La Chimera's many Etruscan tombs, and as I wandered through the dark by candlelight, I kept discovering new rooms, each with their own treasures.