Una Promessa

After the sudden death of his mother, little Antò has to work with his father harvesting crops. It’s only a fantastic promise that allows him to endure the hardships of physical labour.

A tragic accident and a desperate promise: you will see your mother again, says Giuseppe to his nine-year-old son Antò after the mother dies while harvesting crops. Since Giuseppe can no longer work in the quarry after having lost an eye on the job, father and son are forced into the same toil that claimed the mother’s life.

The De Serio brothers embed their absorbing and poignant narrative, reminiscent of Italian neorealism, within carefully lit compositions. They depict agriculture in southern Italy as a nightmarish and merciless system of exploitation. At the same time, they succeed in giving the team of father and son the consolation they deserve. A sad film that isn’t after our tears, but our anger. A desperate film that doesn’t give up, but remembers the father's promise until the end.

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