L’oro del Reno

The Reno, or Italian Rhine, may lack the fame of its Teutonic sibling, but it holds its own magic. Lorenzo Pellega’s playful debut transforms this overlooked river into a whimsical journey through myth, memory and unexpected treasures.

In the picturesque Emilia Romagna region, a lesser-known river meanders serenely through plains and hills: the Reno. Sharing its name – if not its renown – with Germany’s mighty Rhine, the Reno was once mistakenly believed by Japanese Wagner fans to have inspired the composer’s epic opera Das Rheingold. Tasked by a local politician to celebrate the river’s marvels, a young and reluctant filmmaker sets out to explore it. From its Apennine source to its Adriatic mouth, his journey takes on the air of a Wagnerian quest, uncovering hidden treasures and unexpected stories along the way.

The Reno’s banks are home to a cast of unforgettable characters: eccentric countesses, Sunday kayakers, retired revellers, and forlorn brides. In his flamboyant debut, Lorenzo Pellega reimagines the tradition of anthropological documentary, crafting a portrait of a place that feels suspended in time – a custodian of traditions resisting the pressures of globalisation. With a sweet-and-sour fairy-tale atmosphere, L’oro del reno channels humour, folklore, and fantasy, reimagining the Reno as a river of hidden treasures, with its banks home to a mythology rooted in tradition yet alive with imagination.

– Vanja Kaludjercic

Trailer

Interview

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