Six Movies That Will Give You Mediterranean Feelings

Whether it is a guilty pleasure or a cinematic masterpiece, movies that feature a little bit of the Mediterranean have always made me feel warm. As we said farewell to the summer and wait for the winter, here are six movies that make you want to drink wine with your friends in a little coastal town and get through a bunch of dramas and unexpected romantic twists.

A Bigger Splash – Pantellaria, Italy

Luca Guadignino’s A Bigger Splash, starring Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes, Matthias Schoenaerts and Dakota Johnson, is an underrated psychological drama which sets in Pantelleria, an island between Sicily and Tunisia. It begins with the unexpected visit of Harry and Penelope to Marianne and Paul. Marianne and Harry had a romantic past while Penelope has an unexplainable charm throughout the movie.

This film’s charm roots in the setting and the cast. Even though the story is expected, and it has a loose ending, the cast performs amazingly and the chemistry among the cast helped the tension to grow. Swinton and Fiennes did an excellent job throughout the movie. Also, this movie introduces the audience Pantelleria, an unknown beauty of Italy. If you want to see an unknown place in the Mediterranean with a talented cast, this movie is a catch!

Other recommendations: La Piscine (The Swimming Pool), Io sono l’amore (I Am Love), Call Me By Your Name

Mamma Mia! – Skopelos, Greece

Mamma Mia! is THE ultimate guilty pleasure movie for numerous people, for many reasons. First of all, the sincerity and warmth of the movie is supported by a beautiful cast and a mesmerizing setting. Even the story is set in a fictional Greek island called Kalokairi, many scenes (including “The Winner Takes It All” scene where Meryl Streep runs countless stairs without any gasping) were shot in Skopelos, Greece. Who would think a Swedish band’s songs would fit perfectly to a baby daddy issue set in a Greek island?

Yes, it has various awkward scenes like the ending of “Lay All Your Love on Me” scene or the whole “Does Your Mother Know” sequence, but for the sake of the musical, these absurdities can be ignored. If you like musicals, ABBA, Meryl Streep and father reveals, Mamma Mia! will be your guilty pleasure movie, too!

Other recommendation: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Zorba the Greek

Un été à La Goulette (A Summer in La Goulette) – La Goulette, Tunisia

The movie sets in La Goulette, a coastal city in Tunisia. It is the summer of 1967 and Gigi, Meriem and Tina spend their summer at the beach. They want to have their first sexual experience, while challenging the moral values of their families. These moral conflicts will affect the friendship between their fathers.

The movie displays the post-colonial culture of Tunisia. The three girls have different religious and cultural backgrounds, which is a symbol of the cultural mosaic of Tunisia: Gigi is Catholic, Mariem is Muslim, and Tina is Jewish. These different backgrounds are used as an instrument that builds the conflict between the concepts of sexual awakening and morality. This film also shows the Northern African part of the Mediterranean, which is another reason why you should watch this film.

Other recommendations: Pauline á la plage (Pauline at the Beach), Et maintenant on va où? (Where Do We Go Now?)

La Collectionneuse (The Collector) – Cote D’Azur, France

Éric Rohmer’s La Collectionneuse tells the story of Adrien, Daniel and Haydée. Adrien, an art dealer, stays at a villa on the French Riviera with his painter friend, Daniel. One day, they meet with Haydée, a vivacious woman who will change their life.

Rohmer’s work has a slow pace, but it is a perfect piece of character study. Even though the movie seems like it focuses on Adrien and Daniel, the actual focus point is Haydée. Rohmer questions the conventional moral values through Haydée’s free spirit. Adrien and Daniel look down on her because she is a “collector of men” however Adrien becomes charmed by Haydée throughout the movie. Monologues and the warm, Mediterranean atmosphere of Cote D’Azur have a significant role in the movie.

Other recommendations: Le Mépris, Le genou de Claire (Claire’s Knee), Bonjour Tristesse

Biz Böyleyiz (The Way We Are) – Izmir, Turkey

This 2020 film introduces us a group of old friends. After their old neighbor, who had looked after them for many summers, had a heart attack, they come and visit her. Besides the heart attack, the movie centers around the unrequited love between two friends. This weird tension between them shatters the group.

This movie looks promising at the beginning; however, several parts of the movie may seem too long or unnecessary (especially the ending). On the bright side; it is a sweet Turkish movie which shows the beauty of Urla (a coastal town in Izmir), it has talented actors (especially Hümeyra), and the fact that most of the cast are actually close friends makes the group of friends more realistic.

Other recommendations: Deniz Seviyesi (Across the Sea), Yarına Tek Bilet (One-Way to Tomorrow)

Vicky Cristina Barcelona – Barcelona, Spain

Even though I did not want to add this movie to the list because of Woody Allen, I added it out of respect for Penélope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson and Javier Bardem. Two friends, Vicky and Cristina, goes to Barcelona for the summer holiday and they meet a painter there. Cristina, who has an adventurous soul, has a fling with the painter, while Vicki gets mesmerized from Barcelona. Things go well for the two friends and the painter, until the painter’s ex-wife makes the scene.

The city itself and the rural parts of Barcelona has a great role in the film. In addition to that, the soundtrack is so amazing that you can add some of the songs on your playlist. The chemistry between Cruz and Bardem is fascinating; you can feel the passion and tension between the duo from the screen. If you want to watch a fun movie with full of Mediterranean passion, this film will be a good choice.

Other recommendations: Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All About My Mother), Lucia y el sexo (Sex and Lucía)