Film: La chimera. 133 min.

Dante Winter 2026 Film Series: Buried Treasures/Tesori sepolti

Series Description:

This season’s films involve digging for buried treasures, both literal and metaphorical. From tomb raiders searching for Etruscan artifacts in Tuscany, to truffle hunters in the forests of Piedmont, to a documentary bringing the overlooked legacy of A.P. Giannini to light, these films celebrate the thrill of the hunt and the joy of discovery.

The first film in the series is:  La chimera. Directed by Alice Rohrwacher. 2023. 133 min.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkIC8YI9-eU

Set in Tuscany in the early 1980s, La chimera follows Arthur (The Crown's Josh O’Connor), a British archaeologist with a miraculous ability to locate buried artifacts. Recently released from prison after serving time for grave robbing, he is drawn back to a rowdy, colorful band of Tuscan tomb raiders, or tombaroli, who search for Etruscan relics.

Beautifully shot on a mix of film stocks and filled with surprising humor, La chimera is a mischievous, dreamlike story about memory and letting go of the past. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received a nine-minute standing ovation. It also won the Palm Dog Award for Best Canine Performance.

La chimera features Isabella Rossellini, who won the Nastro d’Argento (Silver Ribbon), awarded by Italian film critics for Best Supporting Actress.

“. . . the most magical movie ending I’ve seen in some time, and also the most real.”— Justin Chang, Fresh Air

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All films in Italian with English subtitles.

Logan Walker, film lecturer from UCSC & Director of Programming, Santa Cruz Film Festival, will introduce and field questions about all films.

Parking is $4 in the closest parking lot "L" near the Music and Theater buildings / pay at the kiosk machine and place the receipt on your dashboard.