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La paranza dei bambini

Piranhas
Competition 2019
© Palomar 2018
Six boys race on their scooters through the narrow streets of their Sanità neighbourhood in Naples. Nicola, Briatò, Lollipop & Co. are fearless daredevils, desperate to make money like their role models, and wear designer clothes and the latest sneakers. These 15-year-olds use the city’s rooftops for assault rifle practice. They deal drugs and do not hesitate to use their weapons to take control of the neighbourhood. Their smart leader, Nicola, knows the rules: in order to get his gang into the game and quickly to the top, he challenges one of the old bosses. But whoever is in charge today may well be dead tomorrow. When his girlfriend causes Nicola to be caught between all fronts, he is forced to make a decision.
Neapolitan author and Camorra expert Roberto Saviano (‘Gomorrha’, 2006) wrote the screenplay for this adaptation of his eponymous novel with Maurizio Braucci and Claudio Giovannesi. Portrayed by non-professional actors from the locality where it is set, this film provides a shocking portrait of a younger generation in a state of permanent war. These are children who are willing to deal in drugs, rob and kill in a world without a future, where money, power and survival are all that matters.
by Claudio Giovannesi
with Francesco Di Napoli, Viviana Aprea, Mattia Piano Del Balzo, Ciro Vecchione, Ciro Pellecchia, Ar Tem, Alfredo Turitto, Pasquale Marotta, Luca Nacarlo, Carmine Pizzo Italy 2018 Italian 110’ Colour World premiere

With

  • Francesco Di Napoli (Nicola)
  • Viviana Aprea (Letizia)
  • Mattia Piano Del Balzo (Briatò)
  • Ciro Vecchione (‘O Russ)
  • Ciro Pellecchia (Lollipop)
  • Ar Tem (Tyson)
  • Alfredo Turitto (Biscottino)
  • Pasquale Marotta (Agostino)
  • Luca Nacarlo (Cristian)
  • Carmine Pizzo (Limone)

Crew

Director Claudio Giovannesi
Screenplay Maurizio Braucci, Claudio Giovannesi, Roberto Saviano based on his novel of the same name
Cinematography Daniele Ciprì
Editing Giuseppe Trepiccione
Music Andrea Moscianese, Claudio Giovannesi
Sound Design Giuseppe D'Amato
Sound Emanuele Cicconi
Production Design Daniele Frabetti
Costumes Olivia Bellini
Make-Up Valentina Iannuccilli
Assistant Director Nicola Scorza
Casting Chiara Polizzi
Production Manager Michela Rossi
Producers Carlo Degli Esposti, Nicola Serra
Executive Producer Gianluca Chiaretti
Co-Producer Nicola Maccanico
Co-Production Vision Distribution Rom

World Sales

Elle Driver

http://www.elledriver.fr http://www.elledriver.fr

Produced by

Palomar

http://www.palomaronline.com http://www.palomaronline.com

Photos

Press Conference

Red Carpet

Claudio Giovannesi

© Douglas Kirkland

The director, screenwriter and musician was born in Rome, Italy in 1978 and works in both fiction and documentary. His films have screened at numerous international festivals and have won a number of awards, including the Nastro d’Argento Italian film prize. He was one of the nine directors to work on 9 x 10 Novanta, a compilation documentary that screened at the 71st Venice International Film Festival. He has also directed two episodes of the television series Gomorrha.

Filmography

2009 La casa sulle nuvole · Fratelli d'Italia 2012 Alì ha gli occhi azzurri 2013 Wolf 2016 Fiore 2018 La paranza dei bambini (Piranhas)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2019