The Eight Mountains: this film, by Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch, is an exceptionally delicate and beautiful drama. It tells the story of a long friendship between two men, who met as young boys in a tiny village in Northern Italy where one spent his summer vacations and the other was the last child left. While that’s the main relationship of the film, many others are explored, including of the protagonists and the physical space where most of the story takes place. The acting is excellent: Luca Marinelli plays the urbane kid in his adult years and Alessandro Borghi, the adult version of the quiet mountaineer; they are low-key performances that nevertheless drive the point home. The valley and mountains where the film mostly takes place are majestic and astoundingly beautiful, and cinematographer Ruben Impens captures it all showcasing its natural aspects and isolation; the use of drones to follow the action allows for some spectacular shots. The use of music is particularly effective.