THEThe journey of two young men, Seydou and Moussa (Seydou Sarr And Moustapha Fall), from Dakar, Senegal, to Europe, in search of a better future. Matteo Garrone’s film tackles one of the great questions of our present, but we bet he will also distance himself from it. The path of the Roman director, from The tale of tales to Pinocchioto confront reality appeals to the tools of the fable.
Seydou and Moussa’s dream meets all the pitfalls of the protagonists of fairy tales updated today: crossing the desert, the horrors of the detention centers in Libya, the dangers of the sea, the cynicism of the merchants of men and that of politics.
Ava DuVernay, the first African-American in competition
Second title of the competition Originby Ava DuVernay, is taken from the essay Caste: The Origin of Our Discontent by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkersonbest seller in the USA and an essential reference in the discussion on racism underway in American society.
The movie of director, screenwriter and producerthe first African-American to participate in the Venice competition, mixes an essayistic and biographical approach to reason on the origin of the divisions attributable to the caste system which have always, and not only in America, been at the root of social injustices.
Hit Man by Richard Linklater with Glen Powell and Adria Arjonais one of the two out-of-competition options, along with Xue Bao (The Snow Leopard) by Pema Tseden.
“Hit Man”, the real-fake hitman of Richard Linklater
Hit Man starts from a true story, as reported by Texas Monthly in 2001: Gary Johnson (Glen Powell, also co-writer) is a civilian (his primary occupation is teaching philosophy at the university) who works with the Harris Country District Attorney’s office. Little adventurous (he lives only with two cats and practices bird-watching), he ends up reluctantly (but then he’ll get a taste for it) posing as a hired killer on behalf of the police. The meeting with a charming woman who is undecided whether or not to kill her husband (Adria Arjona) forces him to make crucial decisions.
A father and son live in the tibetan highlands raising cattle in Xue Bao (The Snow Leopard). When the titular leopard attacks and slaughters eight of their sheep, the two clash over whether or not to kill the animal.
Pema Tseden, the most important Tibetan director, screenwriter and writerthree times in competition in Venice in the Horizons section, finished his last film, shortly before his death, on May 8 this year. Xue Bao it is therefore also a tribute to his career.
The Ireland of “In the Land of Saints and Sinners”
Finally Orizzonti Extra proposes In the land of saints and sinners by Robert Lorenz, frequent collaborator of Clint Eastwood, with Liam Neeson, Kerry Condon, Jack Gleeson, Colm Meaney, Ciarán Hinds, Sarah Greene, basically all the best Irish actors around. In a remote Irish village, ex-hitman Finbar (Liam Neeson) finds himself drawn into the sadistic game of a group of terrorists seeking revenge. Forced tostrive for redemption after a life of sin, will have to deal with a mysterious past marked by wrong choices. It could be his chance, but the price to pay will prove to be very high.
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