Bellissime

The Italian sisters Francesca, Valentina and Giovanna were all child models, and have been pursuing this dream as long as they’ve been able to walk. Yet they miss out on being chosen just a little too often; their charming looks and natural beauty aren’t what the big brands are interested in for their catwalks. Nevertheless, the girls persevere as teenagers, under the constant leadership of their mother Cristina - herself a former beauty queen and now really into pole dancing. Through home videos, personal archive footage of shoots with the girls when they were little, and scenes of casting calls in their teens, we witness a fascinating family dynamic: three daughters and a mother who, in the absence of a father or husband, devote their lives to their appearance. In harmony with each other, they try to cope with the inevitable disappointments that ensue. The mother undeniably projects her dreams onto her three daughters, but at the same time she deserves admiration and sympathy for her own role as daughter and wife. This makes the film a reflection both on beauty and on what it means to be a girl, a mother and a woman. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)