A surprisingly nuanced and tender look at a taboo issue, Promised succeeds as a mature romantic drama, thanks to the fine performances of its cast, and authentic delve into the Italo-Australian communities of the 1970s.

Arranged marriage is not a welcome custom. The union between man and wife is something that should be entered freely, with love the foundation of its partnership. The love story in Promised certainly does not begin with that foundation. Written and directed by Nick Conidi, Promised takes a fictional yet highly authentic look at the southern Italian tradition of arranged marriage. In Promised, this is referred to as ‘combinare’, which essentially means ‘to arrange’. The film’s opening scenes shows this agreement in action, where in 1953 Melbourne, Australia, Sal (Paul Mercurio) from Calabria, strikes an agreement with Joe (Mirko Grillini) from Sicily, that their children Robert and Angela are to be married.

Cut to 1974, and Oxford educated Robert (Daniel Berini) and university student Angela (Antoniette Iesue) are still embedded to that agreement. Despite their protests, the intimidation and authority of the fathers sees the pair relent to their will, resulting in a love story that has much heart amidst its commentary on culture, subjugation, and the clash between traditions of the old country versus the social norms of the new.

Conidi has his story play out without judgement or excuse for its characters, primarily consisting of two Italo-Australian families in the middle-class suburbs of Melbourne. While this arranged marriage is indeed farcical and coerced, the sentiment behind this partnership (namely keeping with tradition and securing strong ties within a community) shines through.

Both Berini and Iesue are excellent as a young couple who are thrust into a situation out of there control. They also represent a generation of first-born Australians, who walk a tight rope between tradition and the “Aussie way”. The recreation of Italo-Australian households, community centres, and the fashion of the time, are rather impressive when considering the budget restrictions that Conidi and his crew had to work with.

Promised delivers much in the way of criticism of the “old way”, especially focusing on the inherent sexism from a generation of men, who sit in a room and determine the fate of their daughters over a glass of whisky. In many ways Angela is the moral conscious of the film, protesting the heavy hand of tradition, and fighting for her right to choose who she loves freely. “It’s my life!” she declares to her mother, played with warmth and sensitivity by famous Australian singer Tina Arena.

Where other filmmakers would have issued a film of condemnation, Promised offers a nuanced exploration into an outdated practice, it’s effect on a community, and the relationship between a couple at a crossroad in their lives. A film about strengths and pitfalls of tradition, done with a classic film style in mind.