Secrets swirl beneath the surface of a remote Italian community in Maura Delpero’s exquisite wartime drama, winner of the Venice Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize. In a majestic Alpine village touched only faintly by the upheavals of modern life, a strict schoolteacher’s family undergoes a profound shift when a relative returns home with a mysterious Sicilian soldier, both fleeing the front lines of World War II. As the seasons change across a single year, three very different daughters of the sprawling Graziadei clan will find their lives transformed. Blending historically grounded realism with painterly grace, Delpero draws from her own ancestral history for Vermiglio, an at once intimate and momentous vision of a world suspended between the patriarchal past and the stirrings of a new future.

For in-depth thoughts on Vermiglio, please see my colleague Will Bjarnar’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Vermiglio comes to Blu-Ray in an AVC encoded transfer in 1.90:1 courtesy of Criterion Presents which provides a gorgeous presentation that effortlessly captures the breathtaking cinematography from Mikhail Krichman. Colors are complex and deep when it comes to the landscapes, outfits, and rustic production design. Skin tones look natural throughout the runtime with impeccable detail on display. This ideal presentation offers a stable and consistent image quality throughout without any unexpected deficiencies. This production does not showcase any signs of noise or compression as the imagery dazzles in high definition. This transfer achieves a top-tier visual presentation on Blu-Ray, and Criterion Presents continues to shepherd newer gems with the appropriate care.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original Italian which renders just as carefully as the video side of the equation. The score from Matteo Franceschini is showcased authentically here with an immersive use of the surround speakers that maintain the required fidelity. Dialogue comes through clearly without ever being overshadowed by the environmental elements. The sound design is not overly showy, but it is executed perfectly for what it is asked to do. The track thrives the most with the sounds of nature. The exterior soundscape is filled with little nuances that do an admirable job of transporting you to this space. Activity in the low end is not a major part of the experience, yet it helps provide vital texture to the world. This is a lovely audio presentation that brings the movie to life in a stately manner. Optional English subtitles are provided.

Special Features

The Criterion Presents Blu-Ray of Vermiglio includes a leaflet featuring the essay “Vermiglio: Slow Thaw” by Michael Joshua Rowin in which he provides some good insight into and analysis of the film that helps highlight the deeper themes on display. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Meet The Filmmakers: A nearly 13-minute conversation with director Maura Delpero in which she discusses her early entry into filmmaking, the development of this story during a trying time, navigating the shooting locations, how she tried to achieve something authentic in the storytelling, inspirations for the look of the film, and much more that you will not want to miss.

Trailer (1:50)

Final Thoughts

Vermiglio is a contemplative and quietly enveloping drama that examines how isolating one can feel even in a large family. There are a lot of narrative threads at play, but writer-director Maura Delpero balances the story admirably with powerful moments in each story. The film leans more on visual storytelling than explaining everything in minute detail, but the trust given to the audience to connect everything going on is much appreciated. If you love a reflective period drama, you should not miss this gorgeous film. Criterion Presents has released a stellar new Blu-Ray with a top-notch A/V presentation and a great interview with the director. Recommended

The Criterion Presents edition of Vermiglio will be available to purchase on August 26, 2025 on Blu-Ray and DVD.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Criterion Presents and The Criterion Collection have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.