Italy / Aug 30, 2025 / Venice Film Festival
Overall average
5.0/10
Trailer
Videos
Plot
A PE teacher moves to a isolated mountain village where the people appear to live in unshakeable serenity, but soon stumbles across a disturbing ritual. Once a week, the locals are freed of their pain by a lonely boy born with the power to heal one's soul just by hugging them. Trying to rescue him from this madness, the man unleashes his dark side.
Main cast
Full cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Sandra Toffolatti | Elisabetta Gengo |
| Gabriele Benedetti | Franco |
| Diego Nardini | Lorenzo Berni |
| Alex Radetic | Coso |
| Tatiana Lepore | Signora Berni |
| Andrea Di Maria | Padre |
| Valentina Elia | Madre |
| Ferruccio Macor | Simone |
| Vincenzo Tosetto | Vittorio |
| Riccardo Michelutti | Giacomo |
| Emma Dugo | Nichi |
| Caterina Boato | Lisa |
| Marco Gennaro | Erich |
| Giulia Lassich | Laura |
| Lucia German | Anziana |
| Irene Menon | Sara |
| Giorgia Chiominto | Bambina |
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| Nevia Iud | Signora anziana |
| Narciso Levan | Uomo |
| Alessandro Di Giusto | Adolescente |
| Penelope Montanino | Gemella 1 |
| Aurora Montanino | Gemella 2 |
| Andrea De Cecco | Anziano rachitico |
| Lorenzo D'Odorico | Milo |
Genres
HorrorThrillerDrama
Technical details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Original title | La valle dei sorrisi |
| Original language | Italiano (IT) |
| Spoken languages | Italiano |
| Production countries | Italy, Slovenia |
| Status | Released |
| Production companies | Nightswim, Fandango, Vision Distribution, MiC, Lazio Cinema International, Fondo Audiovisivo FVG, SPOK Films, Sky |
| Release date | 17 settembre 2025 |
| Executive producer | Ivan Fiorini, Attilio Moro |
| Production | Ines Vasiljević, Stefano Sardo, Domenico Procacci, Laura Paolucci |
| Writer | Paolo Strippoli, Jacopo del Giudice, Milo Tissone |
| Casting | Anna Pennella |
| Editing | Federico Palmerini |
| Cinematography | Cristiano Di Nicola |
| Assistant directors | Paolo Strippoli |
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| Camera operators | Cristiano Di Nicola |
| Additional photography | Cristiano Di Nicola |
| Production design | Marcello Di Carlo |
| Art direction | Marcello Di Carlo |
| Set decoration | Marcello Di Carlo |
| Music | Federico Bisozzi, Davide Tomat, Francesco Morosini |
| Sound | Francesco Morosini, Federico Bisozzi, Davide Tomat |
| Costume design | Susanna Mastroianni, Valentina Tomljanovič, Andrea Leanza, Denise Boccacci, Arianna Palmucci |
| Makeup | Valentina Tomljanovič, Andrea Leanza, Denise Boccacci, Susanna Mastroianni, Arianna Palmucci |
| Hairstyling | Susanna Mastroianni, Valentina Tomljanovič, Andrea Leanza, Denise Boccacci, Arianna Palmucci |
| Budget | 4.025.000 € |
| Revenue | 377.925 € |
Release dates
Premiere
South Korea / Sep 21, 2025 / 19 / Busan International Film Festival
United States / Sep 21, 2025 / Fantastic Fest
Austria / Sep 26, 2025 / Slash Filmfestival
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Taiwan / Nov 10, 2025 / Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival
Germany / Jan 17, 2026 / Fantasy Filmfest White Nights
Norway / Mar 04, 2026 / Kosmorama Trondheim Film Festival
Australia / Mar 24, 2026 / Fantastic Film Festival Australia
Theatrical release
Italy / Sep 17, 2025
Spain / Mar 20, 2026
Belgium / Apr 08, 2026 / 16 / Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival
Russia / Jul 02, 2026 / 18+
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