Motherland (first feature)

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Motherland (La Terramadre)

Motherland (La Terramadre)

Motherland (La Terramadre)

original title:

La Terramadre

directed by:

cast:

Michele Di Rosa, Felice Melluso, Francesco Teresi, Crocetta Canta, Youssif Latif Jarallah, Rita Zarbo, Bruno Del Vecchio, Biagia Casia Tannorella, Giovannino Napoli, Lina Vizzini, Giuseppe Manazza, Toto' Costanzino, Calogero Piazza, Mohammad Charwaki, Lilla Salerno

cinematography:

set design:

costume design:

production:

Comune di Palma di Montechiaro in collaboration with Filmoteca Regionale Siciliana, Sicilia Film Commission

country:

Italy

year:

2008

film run:

122'

format:

HD/35mm - colour

aspect ratio:

1.85:1

sound:

Dolby Digital

festivals & awards:

The film tells the story of Gaetano and Alì. Gaetano lives in Palma with his aunt. His mother died of cancer several years earlier, his father Antonio has migrated to Germany where he plans to open up a bar, and wants Gaetano to follow and leave behind this land, which he feels has only represented misery and death. But Gaetano doesn’t want to leave Palma, because for reasons he cannot explain, he is strongly attached to this land where his mother is buried, and still speaks to her on his frequent visits to her gravesite. Alì is an illegal immigrant. He arrived in Palma by sea, having dragged the body of a woman who drowned after their boat capsized. He is taken in by an old farmer who finds him wandering down an old country road, exhausted and weak. The old farmer will take advantage of Ali’s poor condition and hold him captive, forcing him to work illegally. Ali will soon find himself on the run with no particular direction.