Terraferma

Italy, France

2011

88 Min

Color

2.35:1

Italian, Sicilian, Amharic

Currently 3.1/5 Stars.
1
2
3
4
5

PROD Marco Chimenz, Giovanni Stabilini, Riccardo Tozzi

SCR Emanuele Crialese, Vittorio Moroni

CAST Filippo Pucillo, Donatella Finocchiaro, Giuseppe Fiorello, Claudio Santamaria, Francesco Casisa, Beppe Fiorello, Martina Codescasa, Mimmo Cuticchio, Titti, Timnit T

Venice (Competition): Special Jury Prize, Toronto (Special Presentations), London (Cinema Europa), Stockholm (Open Zone), Istanbul (Human Rights Competition), CPH PIX (World Views), San Francisco (World Cinema)

Synopsis

The history of the Sicilian island of fishermen, almost intact. Just lapped by tourism, which also begins to change behaviors and attitudes of the islanders. At the same time invested by the arrivals of illegal immigrants, and the rejection of the new rule: the negation of the culture of the sea, forcing the rescue. A family of an old fisherman at the center of great authority, a young woman who still want to live a better life and a guy who, in confusion, seeking its way morally. All are faced with a decision to make, which will mark their lives. –01 Distribution

Director

Emanuele Crialese

Although born in Rome in 1965, Emanuele Crialese has Sicilian roots, to which he pays tribute in film after film. In 1991 he leaves for the USA where he studies film direction at New York University. After making several shorts, he directs his first feature-length movie Once We Were Strangers (1997), in New York. The year was 1997, the film was in English and was awarded several prizes, among which the Valenciennes International Film Festival Award. He then decided to return to his homeland and met international success (both in festivals and art houses) with his first Italian work Respiro (2002), shot on Lampedusa Island in Sicily in 2002, with Vincenzo Amato and Valeria Golino in her most ambitious part to-date. In 2006, his next film Nuovomondo (2006), once again with Vincenzo Amato but without Valeria Golino (Charlotte Gainsbourg was better suited to play an English-speaking emigrant), examined the question of emigration to the States at the beginning of the 20th century, more particularly… read more

Wall

Displaying 4 wall posts.

see all

Reevid

14Mar12

Although some images were nice I was not too blown away by how the film was shot. I had the feeling the subject needed more depth. The immense sadness of the situation was portrayed rather lightly which caused me to be never really be drawn into the movie. Overall it was not too bad.

Corriel likes this

Rio Johan

29Jan12

Far from a really good film about fisherman, or even about illegal immigrant. But Terraforman gave an intresting portrayal about how volatile the human law is. There are so much flaws on this film, and I alse feel that it didn't gave the topic that much justice. But I quite like how this film challenge me into a moral ambiguity.

Matt Richards

19Jan12

Italy's official best foreign submission is quite a clever look at 'illegal' immigration by setting the film on an island forced to move with the times from fishing to tourism to earn it's money. It's also getting it's share of unwanted 'boat people'. It's a stark visual contrast that works well for the most part and the cinematography is both fresh and inventive. 3.5 stars.

Mattia 5

30Sep11

It's not Crialese greatest movie, however it's fabolous. Even if sometimes this film is a bit rhetorical, overall Crialese shows his capability in represent difficult stories with grace and softness. Furthermore some shots are really extraordinary. I'm already waiting for him next project.

Corriel likes this