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Claudio Cupellini's 'La terra dei figli' adapts Gipi's graphic novel into a dystopian film

other · 2026-04-27

Claudio Cupellini's 'La terra dei figli,' inspired by Gipi's graphic novel of the same title, debuted at the Taormina Film Festival and hit Italian theaters on July 1, 2021, via 01Distribution. Set in a dystopian future devoid of beauty and language, where bartering is essential, the narrative follows a father and his 14-year-old son living in a stilt house by a lake. Following the father's death, the son sets off to unravel his father's notebook, aiming to grasp his father's feelings and the past. The cast includes Leon de la Vallée, Paolo Pierobon, Maria Roveran, and others, with brief appearances by Valerio Mastandrea and Valeria Golino. Cupellini's adaptation highlights paternal love, contrasting with Gipi's portrayal of a father shielding his two sons from literacy in a toxic world. Both narratives explore cultural loss and the significance of language. This article was penned by Margherita Bordino for Artribune.

Key facts

  • Claudio Cupellini directed 'La terra dei figli', freely adapted from Gipi's graphic novel.
  • The film premiered at the Taormina Film Festival.
  • Released in Italian cinemas on July 1, 2021, by 01Distribution.
  • Set in a dystopian near-future where beauty and language are lost, and barter is common.
  • Plot: a father and his 14-year-old son survive on a stilt house; after the father's death, the boy seeks to understand his father's notebook.
  • Cast includes Leon de la Vallée, Paolo Pierobon, Maria Roveran, Fabrizio Ferracane, Maurizio Donadoni, Franco Ravera, Valerio Mastandrea, and Valeria Golino.
  • Gipi's original graphic novel features a father and two sons in a world of corpses and poison, where the father prevents them from learning to read.
  • Both works explore themes of paternal love, protection, solitude, and the importance of culture and written language.

Entities

Artists

  • Claudio Cupellini
  • Gipi
  • Leon de la Vallée
  • Paolo Pierobon
  • Maria Roveran
  • Fabrizio Ferracane
  • Maurizio Donadoni
  • Franco Ravera
  • Valerio Mastandrea
  • Valeria Golino
  • Margherita Bordino

Institutions

  • 01Distribution
  • Taormina Film Festival
  • Artribune

Locations

  • Taormina
  • Italy

Sources