The Kidnapping of Arabella

Directed by Carolina Cavalli

Italy

2025

107 mins

Unclassified 15+

A seven-year-old girl orchestrates her own abduction to spite her absent-minded father (Chris Pine) in this wry and unpredictable drama. Best Actress Award winner, Venice 2025.

When little Arabella is forced to attend a glitzy gala in celebration of her novelist father, she has an epic meltdown – the enfant terrible wanted Taco King! She gets her way when her preoccupied parent, played by the unexpectedly Italian-fluent Chris Pine, sends her off to the taqueria with his driver. Unsupervised in the carpark, Arabella locks eyes with lost soul Holly who, in a fugue state, hallucinates that Arabella is her younger self. Seizing the moment, the fleeing fledgling makes a break for it with her confused kidnapper. Awarded the Best Actress prize at Venice, Italian It girl Benedetta Porcaroli stars as Arabella’s accidental smuggler in this runaway romp by sophomore Carolina Cavalli (Amanda).

“Just like Jim Jarmusch in his early years, Cavalli possesses an impressive control of deadpan tone.”

Lee Marshall, Screen International

Tickets

Fri 5 June 2026, 6:15pm

Past Event

Palace Norton Street - Cinema 3

Palace Norton St - Cinema 3

Sat 6 June 2026, 7pm

Past Event

Palace Central Cinemas - Cinema 1

Palace Central - Cinema 1

See more, save more with a Flexipass or Youth Pass

Program Strand
Europe! Voices of Women+ In Film
Original Title
IL RAPIMENTO DI ARABELLA
Year
2025
Classification
Unclassified 15+
Country
Italy
Language
In Italian with English subtitles
Director
Carolina Cavalli
Producer
Antonio Celsi, Annamaria Morelli, Massimiliano Orfei, Luisa Borella, Davide Novelli
Cast
Benedetta Porcaroli, Lucrezia Guglielmino, Chris Pine
Screenwriter
Carolina Cavalli
Cinematographer
Lorenzo Levrini
Editor
Babak Jalali
Genre
Award Winner, Comedy, Women Directors, Women’s Stories, Thriller & Crime
Premiere
Australian Premiere
Company Credits
Sales Agent: Charades

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