Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) "Dalida" is a French film from 2016, so still a relatively new work at this point, and this one was written and directed by Lisa Azuelos. Well, the book it is based on was of course not written by her, but the screenplay was and the film has the potential to become one of the filmmaker's most known career efforts, maybe even the number one. A lot of that has to do with lead actress Sveva Alviti, who carries the film strongly as she is in pretty much every single scene and it is definitely a breakthrough performance here. No denying that her looks help too just like Valentina Carli's, even if she is sadly not in that many scenes. This is a biopic about the singer Dalida, who was born in Cairo and had gigantic success in Europe thanks to her powerful voice. Of course she existed in reality too, even if I must admit I don't think I have heard of her before or I probably have and I just don't remember the name. But her music was good and I heard songs that I recognized from the Leningrad Cowboys and from the Tarantino film Kill Bill. The way they treated her music in here was interesting and it definitely wasn't as frequent as I thought it would be. At least in terms of what you see and in terms of the story. Instead they included Dalida's songs as voice-over on truly many occasions in this film. For me the approach was working.In terms of plots and story-telling, the focus was on Dalida and the men in her life, her lovers, but also her brother. We find out how so many of them end up dying by committing suicide and how every time something inside Dalida dies, even if her relationships with these men may have been finished already at that point. I think all the actors did a good job and the ensemble performance is one of the film's biggest strengths. But sadly, in terms of story-telling, there were weaknesses. Sometimes it felt as if entire scenes were missing despite the long runtime and it hurts the film's flow on several occasions. One example would be the scene when she basically begs her freshly divorced boyfriend to marry her, to get her pregnant, so she can be a housewife and mother, but he refuses and one scene later we find out she does not love him anymore even, so I wonder how much time may have passed between these extremely contradictory scenes. Another example is the argument with her brother during the holiday celebrations in which she defends her considerably younger lover (for times back then) and which is so heavy that he quits the party. And in the next scene, they seem to be so close as if nothing happened at all while talking about her boyfriend as if she does not care one bit about him. This is also the pregnancy scene that results in an abortion, a conscious decision that backfires later on and hurts Dalida's mental state even more that she will never become a mother.But all in all, I think the positive aspects of this are far more frequent than the negative and I believe this is rock-solid execution from start to finish. The music, acting (especially the lead performance), the real character references and also the visual side make up for occasional structure deficits in story-telling. It certainly one of the better recent French films I have seen and why stellar moments and greatness are not really existent here, I enjoyed the film from start to finish. People should check this one out and if they have a stronger connection with Dalida than I do, then I would not be surprised to see this one on several Best-of-the-year lists. If only the music component could have been depicted more convincingly and with this I am also talking about the title character's rise to stardom, which felt truly rushed. Anyway, all in all I give this film a thumbs-down and I suggest you check it out if you get a chance too. Worth seeing for sure.

Kirpianuscus Every biopic is a risk for the viewer. because he has his version about the life of the lead character. maybe memories. and a lot of impressions. "Dalida" is one of rare biopics who escapes from the circle of clichés and full of good intentions sketches. maybe, because it has the right director and the ideal lead actress. maybe for the beautiful elegance for present a chain of tragedies, hard work, fragility and need of happiness. maybe for the science to give to you the feeling to see a docu-drama. the admirable thing - it is not a film for the fans of Dalida. it is not exactly story of a precise existence. it is far to be a bitter fairy tale. it has the magnificent gift to be a film about chance and the price of it, about choices and about a woman looking for herself. all in a manner who, I believe, is more than inspired.

Davor Blazevic With her powerful performances and dramatic emotional investment to her singing, unmatched even today, Egyptian born singer and actress, named by her Italian parents Yolanda Cristina Gigliotti, better known as Dalida, undoubtedly holds a unique place in the history of European and wider--including Middle East, Russia, Japan, Canada--popular music. By the time I reached my teens (in early 1970's) a middle-aged gentleman from the neighbourhood has already accrued a good collection of Dalida's records, and that's how I was introduced to her singing, and remained her fan ever since, for four and half decades already. Contributive to that is the circumstance that last ten years I've been living and working in Lebanon, with Dalida's strong presence in its musical scene, and with her faithful audience, very much alive even three decades after her untimely demise. That's why I have been very enthusiastic to see the movie based on her life, but also a bit concerned about it. Now that the movie is out and I have seen it, I'm very pleased to say that it has met my expectations to the greatest extent.A number of elements are greatly contributing to the solid success and good quality of the French produced biopic, simply titled "Dalida" (2016). Based on my earlier findings and details known, story follows Dalida's life meticulously and faithfully, life filled with professional successes and personal torments and unhappiness. Actors have done an extraordinary job, which is especially important in the case of the leading actress, Sveva Alviti, who has brought to screen the title character--portrayed at the right measure, faithfully, decently and respectfully--but also actors impersonating key players in Dalida's life, her brothers (the younger one, Bruno-Orlando, plausibly depicted by Riccardo Scamarcio, performing as her career manager since 1966) as well as her professional companions, and partners in her private life. Finally, identification achieved thanks to the fascinating physical resemblance of the leading actress, as well as her successfully accomplished impression of Dalida's on-stage (and otherwise) presence and mannerisms, is certainly not disadvantageous.According to her biographers, Dalida performed and recorded in more than ten different languages, while being fluent in at least half of that number. However, due to the fact that her career has shot to stardom in France, and her success has been most persistently maintained across the French-speaking music scene, lyrics of her songs are mainly in French. Therefore, to me, a non-French speaker, her songs were appealing primarily because of the power of her performance, ranging between its modest intimacy and dramatic intensity. Henceforth, only after watching this movie subtitled in English I have realized how much lyrics used in her songs were matching the on-goings in her own life. As if song makers and lyricist were retelling her life in real time. Having her screenplay based on the book written by Dalida's already mentioned brother Orlando, and thanks to proper choice of such songs with real life-relating lyrics, and their excellent timing, screenplay writer and director, Ms. Lisa Azuelos, has offered to the viewers most dramatic and suggestive revelations, easily implying such exciting, and--within the context of Dalida's private life troubled by failed relationships and personal difficulties, mishaps and tragedies--often touching connections between the songs and reality. Though shot as biography feature film (biopic), meant primarily to entertain, then to inform, by appearing so well connected to reality, true to the facts, naturally gaining from the circumstance that the main actress is almost a dead ringer for Dalida, further inspired by clearly Dalida's own voice performing all included songs, it almost feels like watching a biography documentary. To Dalida's faithful long-time followers, this is a great chance to reconfirm their fandom, to all others--including a co-spectator at the movie screening I attended, my wife Minnie--an excellent opportunity to get acquainted to this most gifted, duly celebrated singer, whose life was tragically cut short, but whose legacy, primarily her songs (but also, her high ranking as a personality, e.g. personality who had the greatest impact on French society), still lives and remains for posterity, as a pleasant reminder of her impressive and memorable talents.

jad-nachabe-118-898511 Beautifully written and portrayed journey through Dalida's success- filled career and through her rather melancholic personal life. Sveva shines as Dalida - she does her justice, and with all the right emotions at that. The picture offers a beautifully written and directed insight into the life of the legend that is Dalida. The transition between different phases of her life is light and allows you to dig deeper into what drove her success and ultimately her fall. While the film could've done better with Sveva's lip-syncing, the music is carefully selected, introduced, and fills the theater with Dalida's warm and unique voice. Probably will not be as commercially successful as the contextually similar La Vie en Rose with Marion Cottilard but insightful and beautiful nonetheless. Highly recommended.