Chloé Zhao's 'Eternals' Closes Rome Film Fest, Blends Marvel with Indie Sensibility

Chloé Zhao's 'Eternals' premiered as the closing event of the Rome Film Festival on November 3, 2021, distributed by Disney Italia. The film follows the Eternals, a group of immortal but mortal heroes created over 7,000 years ago to protect humanity from the Deviants. Unlike typical Marvel teams, the Eternals are already a family who must reunite after the events of 'Avengers: Endgame.' Zhao described the character Sersi as embodying the film's message of being guided by love. Producer Victoria Alonso stated that Marvel heroes are not changing but evolving, with 'Eternals' as a key step. Zhao, an Oscar winner for 'Nomadland,' noted that the film explores what it means to be a hero today, comparing the current superhero genre's evolution to the revision of Westerns. The soundtrack features Pink Floyd's 'Time' and Skeeter Davis's 'The End of the World.'