brilocat

I won't bore you with many words on this film: just go and see it. it is incredible. when I saw it at the cinema, at the end people clapped hands like in a theater. DON'T MISS IT.

the old and very severe Traude Krueger gives piano lessons in a prison and happens to notice the solitary, violent and rebellious but extremely talented Jenny and decides to make her participate (and surely win) in a piano competition facing all the problems of jenny's state as a prisoner and of their relationship (passing from indifference and not-liking each other to appreciation and a sort of friendship). the film alternates the present events and scenes from the also tormented past of the old teacher during the Nazi period. it shows the importance of not only punishing prisoners but the need of rehabilitation, of giving them a target, a dream in their otherwise useless lives.

i had occasion to talk to the director, antonio capuano, he was invited to my city to discuss his film (on dec 13 2006) and he criticized those American films which show us mafia and camorra as something fascinating, something to imitate because they use famous and handsome actors to interpret mafia bosses and in this way make us feel positive about them. capuano instead intended to create a feeling of disgust, horror, revolt against mafia and camorra and he said that only if we recognized it as something evil and to fight against then we would make a step further to not simply accepting such cancers of our society. so, if other comments say that it was just a series of killing people it is true but it is on purpose. i also want to make evident the incredible mix of the camorra topic with Greek tragedy (orestes) and the interesting mix of language: slang from naples with literary style. so, even if i don't like mafia and camorra films that much it has impressed me positively.