Chimera — La

O'Connor delivers a nuanced performance as the pensive, grieving Englishman whose "usual state of tension" is occasionally broken by moments of tender connection.

While La Chimera is a character study of grief, it is also a sharp critique of greed and cultural exploitation. The tombaroli are comical, but their actions have real consequences. In a haunting visual motif, when they crack open a long-sealed tomb, the influx of modern air seems to drain the brilliant colors from its ancient frescoes, as if the past is being literally degraded by the present. The film contrasts the small-time thieves with larger, more sinister forces—corporate smugglers and millionaire collectors who profit from the illicit antiquities trade. Rohrwacher uses the film to deliver a "stirring commentary on the spiritually corruptive potential of greed," presenting a world where the precious artifacts of a civilization are treated as commodities rather than sacred inheritances from the dead. La Chimera

A core element of the film is the presence of the Etruscans, an ancient civilization that lived in central Italy long before the Romans. The Etruscans are known for their belief in the afterlife and their focus on providing the dead with everything they might need, leading to the burial of exquisite art and artifacts. O'Connor delivers a nuanced performance as the pensive,