“I, Captain”, from March 14 in cinema

Weirdwave, from 14 March, presents in Mateo Garone’s new film, An Oscar nominee for a best international film, “I, Captain”. An epic journey of life and death, a modern odyssey starring two juveniles passing through hell to reach Europe The film is nominated for an Oscar for Best International Film, while leaving the anniversary 80th Venice Festival with two awards: Silver Leo directing and the Marcelo Mastrojani award of best rising actor for young Sejdu Sar. The much-discussed Italian director (Gomorra), returns with a film inspired by true stories, and watches the modern odyssey of two teenagers from Senegal, leaving their own, seeking a better tomorrow in Europe. The road will be difficult… This shocking film, an unforgettable and extremely timely depiction of the modern sufferings facing thousands of minors nowadays, garnered praiseworthy reviews. The case The 16-year-old Sejdu and his cousin, Musa, live poor in a village in Senegal. They dream of living in Europe, where, as they think, everything is possible: even a musical career for Sejdu. Their lives are not in immediate danger, and their poverty compensates for by a united family. But their ignorance of danger and their teenage dream of a bright life in an idealised Europe are stronger. Their journey begins with hope but continues as an unthinkable Odyssey full of Laistrygones and Cyclops, in which they lose their human standing. They’ll win it again… Will they reach their destination? Garone is differentiated from most directors who attend the adventures of their immigrant heroes either at the border, or in the host country, who usually only as “Earth of Promise” does not welcome them. He chooses to follow them from the beginning on their journey to Africa as they cross deserts and seas. On a journey that from a dream evolves into a nightmare: obscene traffickers, modern slavers, corrupt police, mobsters who steal, blackmail and torture desperate immigrants in Libya: a chain of inconceivable exploitation that the viewer watches with his breath cut off. With mastery and great sensitivity, the creator marries cruel naturalism with dream scenes and solid lyrical feeling impressed in mind, delivering us an epic film about the sufferings of our times, the battle for the survival and contradiction of human nature. I, Captain (“Io Capitano”, Italy-Belgium-France, 2023, 122”) Directed by Mateo Garone Screenplay : Mateo Garone, Massimo Gaudioso, Massimo Chekerini, Andrea Taliaferi Actors : Sejdu Sar, Mustafa Fal, Isaka Saudigo.