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I'm Not Scared Director: Gabriele Salvatores MA 15+ Now screening Palace Nova Set in a tiny remote village in southern Italy in 1978, and based on the novel by Niccol˜ Ammaniti (who co-wrote the screenplay), this is an intriguing story of a boy who makes a shock discovery and how he deals with it. It's Summer and the heat is palpable: ten year old Michele plays with his little sister and the other village kids in the wheat fields surrounding their homes. They find an abandoned ruin and dare each other to display bravery. Later, Michele returns alone and finds something very disturbing. He doesn't know who to tell or who to trust and he's really too na•ve to act in a mature fashion. It would give too much away to reveal what he finds, but the rest of the story unfolds as a gripping drama. Director Gabriele Salvatores and cinematograher Italo Petriccione have previously collaborated on 'Mediterraneo', and 'I'm Not Scared' is similarly beautiful, with expansive scenery (which looks familiar to South Australians - big sky, lots of tall wheat waving in the breeze and scenic hills suggestive of the area between Callington and Palmer), as well as intimate shots of the actors, capturing the innocence of the children and the burdens carried by adults. The kids are wonderful performers, very convincing in their roles, with endearing facial expressions and shorts and sneakers reminiscent of the children in 'Cinema Paradiso'. The sweeping score, composed by Ezio Bosso and Pepo Scherman, influenced by Vivaldi and Morricone, adds to the atmosphere. This is a high quality film, made with European sensitivity, so that a topic which fits into the crime/thriller genre, instead takes the art-house direction of seducing the audience with the setting, the season and the music, familiarising us with the characters, then gently building suspense, exploring morality issues, from a child's perspective, along the way. Recommended viewing.  |
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