OLTRE LA BUFERA by Marco Cassini
Italy, 2019, 100'
SYNOPSIS:
In 1919, at the end of the Great War, Don Giovanni Minzoni returns to his parish in Argenta, in the province of Ferrara, to try to reorganise the social and cultural life of the community, trying to gather in the old recreatory the boys dispersed in the countryside. The socialists, led by Natale Gaiba, a municipal councillor, openly demonstrated their contempt for the Church and for the priest. But just when relations with the socialists seemed to be taking the turn for understanding and collaboration, another political force, modern and unexpected, made its entrance into history and into that small Emilian town. Augusto Maran, a rancorous teacher, also returned from the war, feels that the time is right to seize local power, even at the cost of committing violent acts. Fascism was taking hold in the towns and countryside all over Italy, and in Argenta too the first riots and attacks began, leading to the killing of Natale Gaiba. The people of the town, having lost all hope, clung to the figure of Don Giovanni Minzoni, the last "just" man left in the town, the only one who could stem the destructive force of those people in black shirts. The parish priest responded to these cowardly acts by creating the first women's cooperatives and building a theatre for young people. Fascism, on the other hand, tried to get don Minzoni on its side, offering him the chance to become a militia chaplain. The pure and intransigent soul to blackmail and threats of the priest will lead Augusto Maran and his gang to a violent ending, unexpected but perhaps already written. On the night of 23 August 1923, in the town of Argenta, in the province of Ferrara, Don Giovanni Minzoni was killed by the Fascists.
His murder not only stirred the consciences of the men of the time, but like a ghost it continued to shake Italy for decades.
Director: Marco Cassini
Cast: Stefano Muroni, Piero Cardano, Enrica Pintore, Michela Ronci, Pio Stellaccio
Production: Controluce Produzione Srl con il sostegno della Regione Emilia-Romagna
From an idea by Stefano Muroni
Treatment: Marco Cassini, Stefano Muroni, Valeria Luzi
Executive producer and general organiser: Valeria Luzi
BIOGRAPHY:
Marco Cassini, a young emerging director made his directorial debut in 2017 with his debut feature "La notte non fa più paura", which deals with the theme of the 2012 Emilia earthquake. The work was presented at the Rome Film Festival, the Giffoni Film Festival and the Bobbio Film Festival; it received a special mention at the Nastri d'Argento 2017 and entered the selection for the David di Donatello 2018 and finally aired on Sky Cinema Uno, Sky Cinema Cult and Sky Cinema 24. "Oltre la bufera" is his second work.
FILMOGRAPHY
