Flowing – Movie Review [Fantastic Fest] (3/5)

FLOWING is a new Italian horror movie (org. title Piove) that offers both a supernatural and very trauma-based story. It’s slow-burn and officially a horror drama, but it’s also very intense throughout. Read our full Flowing movie review here!

FLOWING is a horror drama from Italy (org. title Piove). It’s actually an Italian-Belgian co-production, so it’s quite the collaboration. The story itself plays out in Italy though and since we’re in Europe, you can also expect to see more flesh than you’re used to.

Consider yourself warned, if you’re more of a puritan. It’s all for a reason though, so it’s not just eye candy. There are many uncomfortable scenes of both a visceral and emotional variety. To say which hit the hardest will no doubt be very individual.

Continue reading our Flowing movie review below. Screened at Fantastic Fest 2022.

Trauma meets supernatural elements

Flowing has a story that offers both supernatural and very trauma-based elements. It’s told in a slow-burn fashion at first, but the ending has a lot more force and power to it. This is a horror drama, but ultimately, it’s much more horror than drama.

The number of deaths alone should tell you that.

Also, is classic horror by way of supernatural elements while being rooted in deep trauma. In that sense, it’s not unlike the new horror movie Smile which also utilizes both.

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Our review of the new horror movie Smile here >

You may not be familiar with the actors if you haven’t watched European productions. However, if you have, then you might recognize Fabrizio Rongione from Two Days, One Night (2014) co-starring with Marion Cotillard, or Cristiana Dell’Anna from the Danish 2022 Netflix movie Toscana.

Finally, I have to mention Francesco Russo who was in the amazing HBO series My Brilliant Friend and in the Netflix horror movie A Classic Horror Story (2021).

Flowing screened at Fantastic Fest 2022

The screenplay for Flowing (org. title Piove) comes from Jacopo Del Giudice, Gustavo Hernández, and the director Paolo Strippoli. For Jacopo Del Giudice, this is his feature film debut. Gustavo Hernández has a few familiar titles on his resume since he wrote La casa muda which was remade in the US as Silent House. Also, he wrote and directed the Shudder horror movie Virus:32.

The new Italian-Belgian horror co-production was directed by Paolo Strippoli, who had his feature film debut in 2021 with A Classic Horror Story.

While the two movies are very different, I can see how they could come from the same director. That is meant to be a compliment even though we’re not given the highest ratings for these movies. It’s just a matter of personal preferences and while I enjoy these movies, I don’t imagine I’ll ever re-watch either.

We watched Flowing as part of our Fantastic Fest 2022 coverage.

Details

Director: Paolo Strippoli
Writers: Jacopo Del Giudice, Paolo Strippoli, Gustavo Hernández
Stars: Fabrizio Rongione, Cristiana Dell’Anna, Francesco Gheghi, Aurora Menenti, Orso Maria Guerrini, Leon de la Vallée, Francesco Russo