Monearde (2023)

Monearde
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Soccorso Busalacchi
Written by	Soccorso Busalacchi
Produced by	Cleandro Terranova Eracla Cassara Carolina Lotti
Starring	Silvio Curatolo Leonida Mellone Giotto Eramo Mosè Rotelli Kyle Beckman
Cinematography	Orsino Cervone
Edited by	Dodato Savino
Music by	Adrione Montalbo
Distributed by	Benedictus Films
Release dates	June 12, 2023 (2023-06-12)
Running time	192 minutes
Countries	Alcarres Zamastan
Budget	ℤ183 million
Box office	ℤ411 million

Monearde is a 2023 Alcarresean-Zamastanian epic war film about the 1831 Battle of Monearde during the Barretoan Wars, written and directed by Soccorso Busalacchi, featuring an ensemble cast including Silvio Curatolo, Leonida Mellone, Giotto Eramo, Mosè Rotelli, and Kyle Beckman. With a budget of ℤ183 million, it is the most expensive Alcarresean film ever made. The film released on June 12th and recieved positive reviews but under-performed commercially, grossing ℤ411 million worldwide. It was nominated for multiple awards at the 97th Tofino Film Festival, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Mellone), Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score.

Plot

Colonel Mireya Barreto, acting on orders of Emperor Hang Almarez II, invades northern Alcarres and southern Durnstaal through the Kalater Mountains, beginning the Great Adula War. Major Abel Gurieli, who is a professor at Skith Military Institute in Skithiana at the outset of the war, leaves his family behind to fight. Gurieli is asked by a retreating General César Abreu for assistance against the Coalition army who is pursuing them after a brief stand on Ranolfo Hill. In rallying his shaken troops, Abreu launches the name of Abel Gurieli into history and the Imperial Army routs the Coalition at Odorico Hill. Gurieli maintains steadfast discipline in his ranks during the battle despite suffering a wound to his left hand from a spent ball.

Meanwhile, Fabiano Cavaco makes his transition from teacher to military officer and practices drilling his soldiers and is taught military tactics by Col. Arcadio Aparo, the commander of the 20th Valengny Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He is called to battle at the Coalition invasion of Northcrana. The Imperial forces lead a fighting retreat as the Coalition army crosses the river to storm and loot Northcrana. Outside the city, Barreto, Eduard Beridze and Gurieli have prepared an elaborate defense on Marye's Heights outside the town, and the movie focuses on Imperial defenses behind a formidable stone wall. Several Coalition brigades, including the Durnstaal Brigade, attempt to cross an open field and attack the wall, but are thrown back with heavy losses by Imperial rifle and artillery fire. At one point, two Durnstaal units are forced into battle against one another, to the anguish of a Southern Durnian who believes he is killing his kin. Cavaco leads an unsuccessful attack against Beridze's defenses, led by Brig. Gen. Davino Luchini and finds his unit pinned down in the open field. He survives by shielding himself with a corpse until nightfall; eventually he and surviving members of 20th Valengny are ordered to retreat and spend two nights on the battlefield, sleeping with the dead. Cavaco and the defeated Coalition soldiers depart Northcrana. Gurieli and Barreto return to the city, and Barreto is confronted by an angry citizen whose house has been destroyed by Coalition artillery.

Gurieli spends the rest of the winter at a local farm where he develops a friendship with a young girl who lives there. Later, Gurieli discovers the child has died from scarlet fever and he begins to cry. Gurieli's adjutant asks why he weeps for this child but not for the thousands of dead soldiers, and Dr. Caio Paiva states that Gurieli is weeping for everyone. Gurieli is soon reunited with his wife and newborn child just before the Battle of Monearde.

Outside Monearde, Barreto identifies that the Army of Skith faces an opposing force almost twice their size. Gurieli calls upon his chaplain, Diogo Vomlel, who knows the area, and asks him to find a route by which the Imperial forces can infiltrate in secret. Gurieli then leads his forces in a surprise attack on an unprepared Coalition 11th Corps. Although his men initially rout the opponents, they quickly become confused in the melee, and Gurieli's attack is stalled. While returning to his lines in broad daylight, Gurieli is caught in no-mans-land between the two armies and badly wounded by his own men, who had mistaken him and his staff for Coalition cavalry. During his evacuation, his litter bearers are targeted by artillery and drop Gurieli on the ground. He is then taken to a field hospital where his arm is amputated. Barreto remarks that while Gurieli has lost his left arm, he (Barreto) has lost his right. The Battle of Monearde is the first loss for the Skithan Army, and they begin to be push into a retreat back over the Kalaters. Gurieli dies shortly after from his wounds, and his body is returned to Skithiana, accompanied by SMI Cadets and covered by the new Imperial flag.

Cast

Skithan Empire

• Silvio Curatolo as General Mireya Barreto
• Leonida Mellone as Lieutenant General Abel Gurieli
• Apollo Traverso as Lieutenant General Eduard Beridze
• Melchiorre Palazzolo as General César Abreu
• Geronzio Saltarelli as Colonel Arcadio Aparo

Pan-Adulan Coalition

• Giotto Eramo as General Fabiano Cavaco
• Mosè Rotelli as Brigader General Davino Luchini
• Kyle Beckman as Nik Vuc

Civilians

• Attila Lala as Reverand Diogo Vomlel
• Cornelio Marrese as Doctor Caio Paiva

Production

Benedictus Films hired Soccorso Busalacchi to write a screenplay adaptation. After a 500-page script was written, Busalacchi was chosen to direct.

For the first time, the Alcarres Protected Lands Service allowed the motion picture industry to recreate and film battle scenes directly on the Monearde Battlefield. Thousands of war reenactors from across the country volunteered their time to come to Monearde to participate in the massive battle scenes.