Inspired by a true story, Nonnas tells how a Staten Island restaurant has transformed the pain into a revolutionary project: to put the grandmothers of the world in the kitchen
There is a perfume that tastes of home, floured hands and tales passed between a shot of sauce and a handful of Parmesan. It is the scent of grandmother’s cuisine – A sacred place where time slows down, food consoles and love uses at the table.
And precisely from this universal feeling it was born Nonnasthe new Netflix movie Available from 9 May. A hymn to the grandmothers of the world, their recipes without doses and memories that know of the past but still warm the heart.
The true story behind Nonnas
The plot of the film has its roots in a true story, that of Enoteca Mariaatypical restaurant in the heart of Staten Island (NYC), founded by Joe Scaravella. After losing his mother and grandmother, Joe has a brilliant intuition: entrusting the cuisine of his restaurant not to noble chefs, but to grandmothers all over the world. Every day, a different culture takes command of the stove, with recipes handed down, lived hands and full hearts.
It is not just a restaurant, it is a sanctuary of memory, where each dish serves a portion of the house. It is pure comfort food: family, identity and a pinch of healing.
From Enoteca Maria to Netflix
To bring this story to the limelight is the director Stephen Chboskywhich directs a surprising cast with Vince Vaughn In the role of Joe, a man who, affected by the pain of loss, decides to honor the women of his life with a restaurant entirely dedicated to memory recipes.
Next to him, four Italian grandmothers unleashed – and wonderfully true: Lorraine Bracco (women’s star of the cult series The soprano), Brenda Vaccaro interprets Antonella (co -star of A man for sidewalk Next to Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight), Talia Shire is Teresa (who starred in films such as The godfather and that in Rocky It was Adriana), and Susan Sarandon – Already – (Thelma and Luise and other important films and series).
One of the freshest – and revolutionary – traits of Nonnas It is the choice to entrust the heart of the story to Four over 60 actresseswhich show that comedy (and talent) have no age. Stephen Chbosky challenges the rules of Hollywood and comes out winner: Bracco, Vaccaro, Shire and Sarandon form an irresistible quartet. They prick, they tell each other, they turn.
In the cast too Linda Cardellini (Olivia), an old love that resurfaces among the desks of an Italian market, e Joe Manganiello (Bruno), the trusted friend who shares with Joe the dream of cooking to heal.
Food as the language of the soul
In Nonnasfood is not just nourishment: it is affection, it is root, it is “I love you” you said without words. Each dish is a story, every flavor awakens a distant voice. The kitchen becomes a sacred space, where the generations meet, the mourning elaborate and the identity is recovered one ladle at a time.
And even if the protagonists are Italian, the message is universal: The cuisine is the oldest of medicinesand the recipes are the love letters of our mothers, our grandmothers, our origins.
The soundtrack: a playlist from nostalgic chills
To give rhythm to the film, one thinks about it crazy soundtrackwhich is a sound journey into the collective memory. From Funiculì Funiculà to Long live the pappa with the tomatopassing through Neapolitan tarantella, Cha cha cha of the secretary and up to modern pearls like Soft And A wish for the summer… Songs that play family members like a radio in the kitchen, when the grandmother humming between one shooting and the other.
Why see Nonnas
Nonnas It is a pampering in cinema format, a story that reminds us how important the roots are and how much love can be in a dish cooked with the heart. It is a hymn to the grandmothers of the world, to their simple and perfect gestures, to their stories among the stoves.
And when the credits flow between cannoli, wine and tarantelle, you find yourself with a smile on your lips and the desire to call your grandmother. Or, at least, to redo his Parmigiana.
