Summary
Miss Italia Must Not Die is a fascinating documentary about the fading beauty pageant in Italy. It explores the dying tradition of Miss Italia with family drama and political conflict.
There’s a lot to unpack with Miss Italia Mustn’t Die. It’s not a straightforward documentary on Netflix, but there’s plenty of depth to it, giving credit to directors David Gallerano and Pietro Daviddi.
The documentary’s filming style initially feels unconventional due to its invasive nature, but it quickly becomes apparent that it’s more of a dramatic feature than a straightforward account of facts. The subjects are portrayed as characters, not through stop-and-start interviews and planned unscripted scenes. From a filmmaking perspective, Miss Italia Mustn’t Die is a refreshing departure from the norm, ticking all the boxes of a compelling documentary.
I did not know this until I watched it, but beauty pageantry in Italy is dying. Due to a strong feminist societal stance, which has legs within governments and policies, the main Italian public broadcast channels no longer air the pageantry. The Miss Italia finals have to be streamed on YouTube for interested viewers to watch.
The documentary follows Patrizia Mirgliani, the director of Miss Italia, who is fighting to save the iconic pageant that’s been part of Italy’s traditions. Patrizia took over the business from her father, who kept it on television. When he died, the authorities took advantage, and it was removed from the main channel, RAI.
However, Miss Italia Mustn’t Die does not only focus on the director’s fight to keep the pageant alive throughout all regions and agencies. In doing so, she has to fight against a wave of scandals and changing beauty standards as she tries to compromise with modern-day perceptions. On top of all this, she also has to deal with her son, who is heralded as the pageant’s next heir but chooses the spotlight over work.
This documentary contains remnants of Tiger King. It’s not as sensational as that subject, but it is equally fascinating as we watch Patrizia attempt to balance a dying competition due to political ideology. The documentary effectively shows her son forming a shadow in the background, almost effortlessly and casually, which portrays a significant omen for the family business.
Miss Italia Mustn’t Die offers a wealth of insights. It features disgruntled agents attempting to cast beautiful women under new, modern rules, which makes them long for the traditional days. Feminist groups in the background are advancing new beauty standards and challenging the beauty pageant concept. The logistics and politics involved in running the regionals and finals of a pageant are also explored. The documentary even follows a woman who doesn’t fit the conventional standards of pageants; she is aware of this, despite her family’s pressure to conform, and aims to make a statement.
Miss Italia Mustn’t Die encourages viewers to discuss the future of beauty and how this relates to the female perspective, and it does so rather well. In a world where “body confidence” is growing, there are questions about the legitimacy of holding events where only particular types of women can succeed. Of course, the transgender debate is rife within this feature, too.
I never got the sense that the documentary filmmakers took a side on Miss Italia. It allows those involved to present their arguments freely. The documentary positions itself in a way that prompts viewers to ask: Is there anything wrong with celebrating women’s beauty? Has the push for flexible beauty standards become ideological? Is feminism valid, and should we eliminate beauty pageants? Should transgender women be allowed to participate?
Depending on your perspective, you’ll either find humor in Patrizia Mirgliani’s struggle to preserve this tradition or believe she has a legitimate argument. Fortunately, this documentary strikes a balance, allowing both sides to find substance. It respects the audience’s intelligence and leaves the conclusions to them. Either way, Miss Italia Mustn’t Die proves one thing: the routine debate of beauty standards is not going away anytime soon.
