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''The Past Is a Foreign Land'' ( it, Il passato è una terra straniera) is a 2008 Italian neo-noir film directed by Daniele Vicari. It is based on the novel with the same name written by Gianrico Carofiglio, who also collaborated to the screenplay. It entered the competition at the 2008 Rome International Film Festival, in which Michele Riondino was awarded best actor.


Plot

Bari: Giorgio, a classic good guy and a law graduate, feels a bit out of place in circles he frequented with his girlfriend. During an elegant Christmas party he defends a stranger, Francesco, with whom he forms a solid friendship that introduces him to a world totally unknown to him, that of gambling - poker, in this case -, in which the two play couple cheating. The new experiences inebriate Giorgio and drag him into situations much greater than him. The boy is progressively engulfed by a whirlwind of illegality and immorality: he regularly visits the house of a married woman, buys a luxurious car with the proceeds of poker and reacts violently to the questions of his parents, who worry more and more. One day Francesco informs him of his imminent departure for Spain; Giorgio decides to follow him despite discovering, with an initial repulsion soon overwhelmed by excitement, that his friend intends to devote himself to the cocaine trade. In Barcelona, the two come to live increasingly wild experiences, leading to sexual violence against a young bartender. After returning to Bari, Francesco becomes nowhere to be found. One night Giorgio tracks him down as he leaves a club; shortly after Francesco chases the bartender who works there, Antonia, and attacks her. The friend intervenes, a fight arises and the carabinieri arrive. After being beaten to death, Giorgio is released because the girl testified on his behalf. He also claims to the commander that he only vaguely knows Francesco, with whom the young man catches a last glance through a window - he too was beaten to death by the carabinieri -, leaving the barracks. Some time later, Giorgio is an established lawyer; after an audience Antonia approaches him to thank him for having saved her the night of the attempted violence. Without speaking, Giorgio watches her go.


Cast

*
Elio Germano Elio Germano (born 25 September 1980) is an Italian actor. He is the recipient of many accolades, including a Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor and a Silver Bear for Best Actor. Life and career Born in Rome to a Molisan family from Duro ...
: Giorgio * Michele Riondino: Francesco * Chiara Caselli: Maria * Valentina Lodovini: Antonia *
Marco Baliani Marco Baliani (born 6 July 1950) is an Italian actor, playwright and theatre director. He is best known for his Teatro di narrazione work ''Kohlhaas'' which is based on Heinrich von Kleist Bernd Heinrich Wilhelm von Kleist (18 October 177721 N ...
: Franco * Daniela Poggi: Anna *
María Jurado Maria may refer to: People * Mary, mother of Jesus * Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages Place names Extraterrestrial *170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877 * Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, ...
: Ángela *
Romina Carrisi Romina is a feminine given name of Italian origin. Notable people with the name include: * Romina Arena (born 1980), Italian–American singer-songwriter * Romina Armellini (born 1984), Italian swimmer * Romina Basso, Italian opera singer *Romina ...
: Giulia * Lorenza Indovina: Alessandra


See also

* List of Italian films of 2008


References


External links

* 2008 films Italian drama films 2008 drama films Italian neo-noir films Films directed by Daniele Vicari 2000s Italian films Fandango (Italian company) films {{2000s-drama-film-stub