Directors Gianluca and Massimliano De Serio in person at June 10 screening!

One of painter Michelangelo Merisi da Cravaggio’s greatest masterworks depicts all seven Christian acts of mercy (feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, etc.) in one magnificent painting; the debut feature of the De Serio brothers depicts a reimagining of these acts in the contemporary relationship between an old man and a desperate young woman. Discharged by the hospital, cancer patient Antonio collapses on his way home and is saved by Luminita, a woman adrift and living on the edge of a shanty town. Going back to Antonio’s house, the two enter into an intense, emotional game of cat and mouse, each vying for control while doing all they can to mask their respective vulnerabilities. The De Serios are blessed with two astonishing lead performances—veteran actor Robert Herlitzka and newcomer Olimpia Melinte—who each bring extraordinary complexity to their characters. A haunting work, and an auspicious debut by two young filmmakers already widely praised for their short films.

This screening will be preceded by an Olympic clip from the Instituto Luce Archive:
Lons Angeles – 08/1932
Italians to the 10th Olympiad
(Giornale Luce B0126)