Word Weave Web

Netflix always brings tangled narratives to the small screen. The platform recently released The Tearsmith, a film from Italy.

I try to summarize the whole film’s story in this blog. Without wasting any time, let’s delve into it.

The Tearsmith Story Explained

Nica, a young girl who hasn’t even hit her teenage years, goes through a terrible ordeal when her parents are killed in a car crash.

Just before the accident, she spots a beautiful wolf from the car window, but wolves scare her, thanks to the villainous representation of the animal in childhood stories.

Her mom tries to reassure her, saying that just because stories often make wolves seem like the bad guys, it doesn’t mean they really are.

Unfortunately, her dad gets distracted trying to see the wolf on the road, and they crash into a truck.

After the tragic loss of her parents, Nica finds herself at an orphanage called ‘Grave’ by the children, where she’s greeted by the harsh reality of her new home.

On her very first day, the warden, Margaret, orders another kid named Rigel to take away Nica’s precious necklace, a cherished gift from her mother.

The loss of her necklace, symbolized by a sweet blue butterfly, deeply saddens her.

Despite the initial hardship, Nica befriends Adeline. At ‘Grave’, the children are immersed in various stories, including one about the Tearsmith.

It told of a world where no one was able to cry and people lived like empty souls, devoid of emotion. The only person who could shed tears was the lonely Tearsmith. People would go to him to make them cry and he would put his tears into their eyes.

Who was the Tearsmith?

Years pass, and Nica’s hopes for adoption finally brighten when a couple, Anna and Norman, take interest in her.

However, their attention is diverted when they hear Rigel playing the piano, a talent that captivates them.

Rigel was Grave’s pride and joy. Every incoming couple wanted to adopt him. He was perfect in the eyes of the other children.

Seeing him play the Piano, Anna, and Norman cannot help but unanimously decide to adopt him as well.

It essentially meant that Rigel and Nica would have to live as brother and sister henceforth.

Nica didn’t hate him but she also wasn’t happy to live with him under the same roof. She wanted all the memories of Grave to go away.

They reach home and as Nica and Rigel start attending school together, their relationship remains complex.

While Rigel is drawn to Nica, he never openly expresses it. Nica, on the other hand, views Rigel through the lens of the Tearsmith from her childhood tales, believing he makes her cry.

Despite their contrasting dynamics, Nica forms friendships at school with Billie and Miki while Rigel gets involved in a fight on the first day of school.

Back at home, Nica and Rigel’s interactions are shrouded in mystery, with Rigel’s unspoken affection and Nica’s emotional turmoil creating tension.

However, Rigel’s jealousy surfaces when another boy, Lionel, shows interest in Nica, leading to confrontations and even physical altercations.

Despite the loving environment provided by Anna and Norman, Nica’s past traumas continue to haunt her, manifesting in frequent blackouts.

The movie goes into intermittent flashbacks of the orphanage. Rigel used to get sick often while at Grave.

Margaret would treat him well, as opposed to the others. She would keep the boy to herself and wouldn’t let him talk much to the others.

Margaret used to physically and mentally torture the children of the orphanage. She would cuff their hands and tie them to a bed.

Nica was her main target. She knew her weakness was darkness. Hence, she would take her to an isolated basement without a shred of light.

That was when Adeline would hold her palm gently to give her support.

On Garden Day, Nica, along with her friends Billie and Mikkie, receives a mysterious rose in her locker, sparking curiosity about the sender.

While she suspects Rigel, Billie believes it’s from her secret admirer, and Mikkie remains indifferent.

She rushes home to confront Rigel, who denies giving her the rose.

However, he does try to indulge in an intimate moment with her but they are interrupted by Lionel’s unexpected visit, returning Nica’s book.

Understandably, he must have kept the rose in her locker.

This prompts a casual outing for ice cream with Lionel, igniting Rigel’s jealousy.

During their time together, Nica opens up to Lionel about her family and her passion for science, before dodging his attempt to kiss her goodnight.

After this encounter, Rigel beats Lionel one night and comes home slightly injured.

When Nica checks on him, she finds out he has a fever. Their parents are out of the house and stuck in traffic due to bad weather. She takes him to bed.

In the heat of the moment, they engage in intimate cuddling.

The next day onwards, she stops talking to Lionel and things go back to usual with Rigel. However, her mental state remains dim.

The only respite for Nica is her two best friends at school. They go to Miki’s lavish mansion and spend time together.

There, Nica sees Miki kissing Billie while the latter is asleep. Miki tells her that she was the one who kept roses in her locker every year. Nica promises to keep it a secret.

Meanwhile, Lionel continues to pursue Nica, asking her to keep Rigel out of their relationship, which she refuses.

On Rigel’s birthday, tensions rise during a visit from Anna’s son’s girlfriend’s family, with Asia expressing disapproval of Anna and Norman’s quick adoption of children after their son’s death.

Adeline’s unexpected arrival provides comfort to Nica, leading to a discussion about their days at the orphanage.

This is the time when The Tearsmith reveals vocally the misdeeds done by Margaret at Grave.

Adeline informs Nica that after Rigel’s exit from Grave, Margaret mostly keeps herself locked in a room.

She talks about pressing charges against Margaret for which Nica’s testimony would be of great help but the latter is not ready to go public against her.

In a heartfelt conversation with Rigel, Adeline talks about his unwavering love for Nica since their time at ‘Grave’, where he had secretly comforted her in moments of darkness and protected her from Margaret’s abuse.

Rigel and Nica once again indulge in a sensual moment but Lionel spoils it again. At the doorstep, he tries to confess his love to Nica, while failing in his attempt to kiss her.

When she comes back inside, Rigel tells her to focus on her dream of having a family. Closeness to Rigel will only land Nica in troubled waters.

Nica goes to group study with her friends while Rigel informs Anna about his decision to reject the adoption.

Billie tells her friends that Phelps has accepted putting roses in her locker. But Miki brushes her claims and confesses her love for Billie.

At the school party, Lionel tries to rape Nica but Rigel comes at the right time to save her. He confronts him and shows him his place.

Once he leaves, Rigel and Nica finally indulge in a long intimate moment, finally kissing and fucking each other.

On their way back home, Lionel tries to run them over by his car. However, the duo jumps from a bridge into the lake to save themselves.

Nica opens her eyes in the hospital to find out that Rigel is in a coma. Anna tells her that she cannot do anything since Rigel has refused the adoption.

The refusal makes Margaret the guardian of Rigel and she doesn’t let Nica meet him.

On the other hand, the children of Grave decide to go to court against Margaret’s abuse. However, everybody fears testifying against her.

When Nica’s turn comes, she also falters in front of the witness box. But with support from Anna, she somehow gathers herself and gives a strong testimony against Margaret’s offenses inside the orphanage.

She even accepts in front of the court that she loves Rigel. Thanks to her courage, Margaret is punished by the court.

Nica and Rigel live together happily ever after. They even have a daughter as the movie shows with a leap.

Asia also apologizes to Nica for her behavior in the past.