Alice Rohrwacher's 'Happy as Lazzaro' (2018) is a captivating blend of social realism and magical fable that earned the Cannes Best Screenplay award. The film follows Lazzaro, a preternaturally kind young peasant living with his family in the isolated rural community of Inviolata. They labor under the feudal exploitation of the Marquise Alfonsina de Luna, the 'tobacco queen,' who maintains them in a state of indentured servitude, unbeknownst to the workers that the practice is illegal in modern Italy.

The narrative takes a breathtaking, surreal turn midway, transporting Lazzaro through time and into a contemporary city. This ingenious leap transforms the story from a critique of archaic social structures into a poignant meditation on innocence, corruption, and the enduring human capacity for exploitation in any era. Adriano Tardiolo delivers a remarkably serene and open performance as Lazzaro, whose unwavering goodness acts as a silent mirror to the greed and hypocrisy of the world around him.

Rohrwacher's direction is masterful, employing a grainy, sun-drenched 16mm aesthetic that gives the film the texture of a faded memory or a folk tale passed down through generations. The film's power lies in its gentle, patient storytelling and its profound moral core. Viewers should watch 'Happy as Lazzaro' for its unique cinematic poetry, its sharp yet compassionate social observation, and its unforgettable central character—a modern-day saint navigating a world that has no place for his purity. It is a truly special film that lingers long after the credits roll.