GLORIA! Discovery

Tradition and the nouveau clash in this poppy feminist romp about a quartet of renegade musicians. It is late 18th century in a deteriorating Catholic music institute for girls, and a silent, downtrodden young lady Teresa (jeeringly nicknamed “The Mute”) works as the ground’s maid. As whispers of excitement at the imminent visit of the new Pope Pius VII spread through the halls and the institute’s maestro struggles with his new composition for the orchestra, Teresa makes a grand discovery in the shape of a pianoforte that will change the course of her and her peers’ lives. With a singer-songwriter background, first-time director Margherita Vicario crafts an energetic, unapologetic musical set to remixed beats of Vivaldi, charting the boldly reimagined lost history of women composers and artists. Winner of Best Original Score and Best First Feature at the Italian Golden Globes, GLORIA! will have you clapping and swaying to its catchy tunes. –Anna Li