Vento di terra

This story about the formative years of a young man in Naples is by Vincenzo Marra, who has been in Rotterdam before with his beautiful feature début Tornando a casa. Vincenzo is an 18-year-old boy who becomes increasingly aware that the fate of his poor family largely rests on his shoulders. His father is ill, his sister is unemployed and his mother barely earns enough as a seamstress to pay the rent. When his father suddenly dies, Vincenzo feels forced to support the family in every possible way. He decides to join the army and move to Milan for his training. In the meantime, his sister has found work in a car factory through a dubious uncle. Vento di terra is a clever and balanced film with political overtones. Marra, who also wrote the screenplay, has a firm hold on his material. The film is constructed from short chapters, tableaux of everyday life, in which little is spoken but much more is said. A realistic directing style predominates, but Marra does allow himself to sail a very individual narrative course, with space for jumps and gaps in time. The leading roles are played with a great feeling for understatement and the young Vincenzo Pacilli is wonderful as Vincenzo, who soon learns to take the blows that life gives. Vento di terra rightly won the FIPRESCI Prize in Venice last year. (EH)