February 21, 2024
FILM: IO CAPITANO
DIRECTED BY: MATTEO GARRONE
STARRING: SEYDOU SARR, MOUSTAPHA FALL, ISSAKA SAWADOGO
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
Dreaming of a better life. People do it all over the world. That’s why we’ve seen so many migrants and refugees moving from country to country. Life’s got to be better elsewhere for some people. In the case of cousins Seydou and Moussa, their goal is to leave Senegal and establish themselves as musicians in Europe so they can financially help their family. The Oscar-nominated film Io Capitano follows the harrowing journey these two teenaged boys take from one challenging continent to another.
This is a pretty riveting film from Italian director Matteo Garrone who may be best known for his 2008 film Gomorrah. It’s an incredibly accomplished work as it takes the boys from a village in Senegal through Niger, the Sahara Desert, and Libya. The boys are warned by everyone not to take this journey as it will likely lead to danger and possible death. But the boys, who are sweet and idealistic, decide to follow their passions. The experience includes a number of hurdles including being forced to hide their money inside their bodies in a place that is least likely to be searched…
Of course, being a classic journey story (a la Homer’s The Odyssey) the situations they encounter only become more and more intense. Probably one of the best sequences features the boys huddling together in a crowded truck that is making its way through some pretty rocky terrain in the Sahara Desert. When the passengers are dropped off in the middle of the vast landscape they must continue on foot. Seydou in particular begins to mature quickly as he attempts to help his fellow travelers. This sets up a rather unlikely position later in the film when he essentially has to captain a ship of refugees (hence the title, Io Capitano.)
Most of these sequences are wrought with a series of increasingly intense and dangerous conflicts, including a point when the boys are separated after encountering members of the Libyan mafia. Yes, they experience a little bit of everything on this journey. Some of it is rather difficult to watch but it is the spirit of the boys that is most interesting to observe. They’re determined to reach their goal and we want to see them succeed because they’re really pretty charming and innocent. They do learn a lot though…
The actors playing Seydou and Moussa are very good and possess a lot of charisma and warmth. The closeness between them is palpable and genuine. I’d love to see what else they might be able to do in the future. (Currently, the actors’ IMDB pages are pretty devoid of other work.)
Technically this is a very well shot and directed film. Camera movements are swift as they capture some beautiful landscapes throughout the African continent, especially the Sahara. The vastness of the landscapes suggests just how overpowering this journey is for all of the refugees who are dwarfed by their surroundings. Accompanying these shots is some excellent music that is contemporary yet in keeping with African traditions.
I had a few quibbles with some of the scenes on the boat near the end of the film. There is initially a smattering of men on board but it is Seydou who takes a major leadership position. Certainly some of the other able bodied men may have stepped up or played more of a role here. That aside, this is a film about dreams, perseverance, loyalty, and family that is pretty moving from start to finish.
Io Capitano is nominated for the Best International Feature Oscar this year. It will be released in theaters this week.
FILM: IO CAPITANO
DIRECTED BY: MATTEO GARRONE
STARRING: SEYDOU SARR, MOUSTAPHA FALL, ISSAKA SAWADOGO
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
Dreaming of a better life. People do it all over the world. That’s why we’ve seen so many migrants and refugees moving from country to country. Life’s got to be better elsewhere for some people. In the case of cousins Seydou and Moussa, their goal is to leave Senegal and establish themselves as musicians in Europe so they can financially help their family. The Oscar-nominated film Io Capitano follows the harrowing journey these two teenaged boys take from one challenging continent to another.
This is a pretty riveting film from Italian director Matteo Garrone who may be best known for his 2008 film Gomorrah. It’s an incredibly accomplished work as it takes the boys from a village in Senegal through Niger, the Sahara Desert, and Libya. The boys are warned by everyone not to take this journey as it will likely lead to danger and possible death. But the boys, who are sweet and idealistic, decide to follow their passions. The experience includes a number of hurdles including being forced to hide their money inside their bodies in a place that is least likely to be searched…
Of course, being a classic journey story (a la Homer’s The Odyssey) the situations they encounter only become more and more intense. Probably one of the best sequences features the boys huddling together in a crowded truck that is making its way through some pretty rocky terrain in the Sahara Desert. When the passengers are dropped off in the middle of the vast landscape they must continue on foot. Seydou in particular begins to mature quickly as he attempts to help his fellow travelers. This sets up a rather unlikely position later in the film when he essentially has to captain a ship of refugees (hence the title, Io Capitano.)
Most of these sequences are wrought with a series of increasingly intense and dangerous conflicts, including a point when the boys are separated after encountering members of the Libyan mafia. Yes, they experience a little bit of everything on this journey. Some of it is rather difficult to watch but it is the spirit of the boys that is most interesting to observe. They’re determined to reach their goal and we want to see them succeed because they’re really pretty charming and innocent. They do learn a lot though…
The actors playing Seydou and Moussa are very good and possess a lot of charisma and warmth. The closeness between them is palpable and genuine. I’d love to see what else they might be able to do in the future. (Currently, the actors’ IMDB pages are pretty devoid of other work.)
Technically this is a very well shot and directed film. Camera movements are swift as they capture some beautiful landscapes throughout the African continent, especially the Sahara. The vastness of the landscapes suggests just how overpowering this journey is for all of the refugees who are dwarfed by their surroundings. Accompanying these shots is some excellent music that is contemporary yet in keeping with African traditions.
I had a few quibbles with some of the scenes on the boat near the end of the film. There is initially a smattering of men on board but it is Seydou who takes a major leadership position. Certainly some of the other able bodied men may have stepped up or played more of a role here. That aside, this is a film about dreams, perseverance, loyalty, and family that is pretty moving from start to finish.
Io Capitano is nominated for the Best International Feature Oscar this year. It will be released in theaters this week.