“Dwarf schools” used to be the name given to the miniature versions of schools in which all primary school children from all grades were taught together. Until well into the 1960s, these institutions, officially known as “one-class schools,” were very common in rural areas of Germany – every village had its own school. Today, such mini-schools only exist sporadically in remote, hard-to-reach regions or small islands. Nevertheless, they still have a certain fascination, which is also reflected in the fact that they are often discussed in films. After the French comedy “It's the little things” recently revolved around the mini-school in a sleepy Brittany village, “Welcome to the mountainsNow to Italy, in the middle of the beautiful Abruzzo National Park, in the tiny mountain village of Rupe.
It's deep winter here, the snow is meters deep, and just getting there is a challenge for the new teacher Michele (Antonio Albanese). Annoyed by the disinterest of his Roman school kids, he successfully applied for a transfer after 35 years in school service and is looking forward to working with motivated children. But the largely untouched nature of the mountains quickly turns out to be hostile: Michele gets stuck in the snow in his city car, surrounded by howling wolves. His boss, the school principal Agnese (Virginia Raffaele), has to save him. She already knows it, apparently Michele is not the first teacher to come to the mountains in winter with bad tires and unsuitable wardrobe.
The teacher Michele (Antonio Albanese), who comes from Rome, imagined life in the snowy mountains to be much easier.
Most of his predecessors only stayed for a short time, and Michele doesn't look like he will last long either. But the Roman newcomer adapts – to the austere life on the mountain as well as to the habits of the largely gnarled population, with the children giving him a lot of support, and not just when lighting the stove. When the school is about to be closed, Michele and Agnese come up with a crazy plan to keep them in the village…
Lovable idealist from the city meets disillusioned provincials is the motto here (once again). The story initially deals primarily with the problems of the former city dweller, who loses all romantic expectations of his new place of work until he finally adapts and is able to use the village greeting – a simple “O” – just as credibly to come across like the standard local justification for everything and anything: “That’s what the mountains do.” Many things, not just the German rental title, are initially reminiscent of “Welcome to the Sch'tis”, where a city dweller also comes to the province and Have to come to terms with a new environment like a culture clash. Most people in Rupe also have only one goal: get out of here as quickly as possible!
No topic is left out
With his narrative exuberance and undeniable social commitment, director and author Riccardo Milani tries to incorporate as much as possible into the story that is currently affecting the Italian public: the topics addressed include, in addition to rural exodus and poverty, among other things, environmental and nature conservation, Homosexuality, marital problems, refugees, educational shortages, criticism of capitalism and construction corruption. To Riccardo Milani, who himself comes from Abruzzo, he at least packages his concerns well, either in nicely thought-out side stories or as a little treat or as a gag in between.
Of course, the set pieces from the “How do I write a feel-good comedy for a large audience?” kit also includes a veritable villain. He is the money-hungry mayor in the neighboring town and has to be fought using all means possible.
Considering that Italian comedies usually show off sunshine and la dolce vita, it is pretty cold in “Welcome to the Mountains”.
What sets the film apart, despite a certain woodcut-like quality, is above all the good acting performances in a cast made up of many amateurs, with the children in particular worth mentioning in addition to the two central stars. Virginia Raffaele plays the director – although one wonders why a school with only seven children needs a director in addition to a full-time and a part-time teacher. What Virginia Raffaele does with her role is worthy of all comedic honors. Agnese is constantly in action and available 24/7 – a slightly stubborn, energetic woman who is anything but sparing in her use of expletives. She sometimes discusses her private problems – her husband cheats on her all the time – in public using her cell phone. Virginia Raffaele actually manages to make this personality not only interesting but also endearing.
This makes her ideal as a partner for the clever comedian Antonio Albanese (“It's all just theater”), who plays the devoted teacher Michele, who goes beyond himself – like Agnese, he is the model of an altruistic teacher, self-sacrificing to the point of self-sacrifice. Both fight together to save their school, and not surprisingly, a love story and a fairytale happy ending complement the comedy kit. However, there is also a special feature: the film largely takes place in winter and in deep snow – and that is an exception, especially for (usually summer) Italian comedies. Maybe it's even a little tongue-in-cheek homage to Fellini's “Amarcord”, only with more wolves.
Conclusion: It's not enough to be a big winner, even though the film was one of last year's box office magnets in Italy. Nevertheless, there are enough positive aspects that make the feel-good film a not so undemanding and, apart from the sweet ending, quite enjoyable cinema entertainment.