The story is set in the working-class Sanità district in the heart of Naples, an area plagued by unemployment and the local Mafia, the Camorra. Lorenzo Borrelli, the new priest at the Santa Maria delle Monteverginelle church, is a fierce anti-Camorra priest who is willing to risk his life to make his voice heard. Don Lorenzo has a confirmation class at which he is open and frank with the young people; he is especially fond of 13-year-old Nunzio. Don Lorenzo urges the children to break their bonds with crime and dishonesty. The Camorra sees the need to silence Lorenzo, but wants to avoid going too far: it would only make Lorenzo more heroic. His credibility has to be undermined and what would be easier than to throw a bad light on his relationship with Nunzio? The introvert Nunzio, who sings in the church choir and gets organ lessons from Lorenzo, feels loved and protected for the first time in his life. He refuses, even under pressure, to cooperate with the Camorra and with the police. Nunzio’s silence heightens the dramatic tension.This emotionally-realistic drama gave Fabrizio Bentivoglio the prize for the best actor at the last Venice film festival. The Italian press was unanimous in its praise. Il Messaggero: ‘Sophisticated, erudite, archaic yet very modern, just like its sound track. This Naples is real: with its stones, the slums full of blaring televisions, the voices and the noise.’
