Chelsea Lupkin

A gorgeous love letter to the woman who raised her and set in her beloved Sicily, Zita Sempri, which means “always be a girlfriend” is Stefania Spampinato’s heartfelt and deeply personal exploration of womanhood and loss. A poetic journey through a series of handwritten letters between mother and daughter, in the early 2000s, Spampinato’s film transcends words on paper, offering a profound understanding of the female experience and the gravity with which burdens of their gender have placed on personal dreams. 

At its core, Zita Sempri is about the bond between mother and daughter, which spans across generations of women. Told through a sun-kissed lens, dreamily shot by cinematographer Leco Moura, the film echoes Spampinato’s thought-provoking meditation on motherhood and its absence. Between the lines of a screenplay, by writers Fabrizio Muscia & Meghann Plunkett, is a lyrical truth surrounding the expectations of a woman entering adulthood. For Spampinato’s mother Lorenza, her path was set in stone long before she understood what her dreams might become, and yet, she is still somehow empathetic toward her daughter’s success in her pursuit of something more. 

Drifting between past and present, the story’s timeline reveals a deep love between mother and child and ultimately mother and daughter. Where expectations of becoming a mother are still prominent today, it was unheard of to stray from such a destiny when Lorenza found herself pregnant with her daughter. There’s an underlying commentary on the selflessness of motherhood and the guilt that comes from being a daughter more interested in pursuing her independence and art. In a tear-jerking revelation at the end of the film, Spampinato learns to accept who she will become and mourn who she will not.

Stefania Spampinato is a dancer turned actress, known for her role in the newest rendition of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy. Zita Sempri premiered at Taormina Film Festival and screened at HollyShorts Film Festival among others.