A Chiara
Neorealist Italian drama about a girl who discovers that her father leads a double life. A film about love, blood, honour, and greed in the impoverished region of Calabria.
The Guerrasio family and friends gather to celebrate Claudio and Carmela’s oldest daughter’s eighteenth birthday. There is a healthy rivalry between Giorgia, the birthday girl, and her fifteen-year-old sister Chiara as they compete on the dance floor. It is a happy occasion, and the close-knit family are on top form. However, everything changes the next day when the father disappears. Chiara, unconvinced by the cover story, starts to investigate. As she gets closer to the truth, she is forced to decide what kind of future she wants for herself.
Together with Carpignano’s two earlier films (MEDITERRANEA, A CIAMBRA), this film forms a loose triptych about poverty, racism, and crime. The main roles are played by non-professional actors from the region who also form a family in real life.