Claudio Giovannesi's 'La paranza dei bambini' at Berlinale 2019

Claudio Giovannesi's film 'La paranza dei bambini', inspired by Roberto Saviano's novel, made its competitive debut at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival, competing for the Golden Bear. The narrative centers on six youths from Naples' Rione Sanità—Nicola, Tyson, Biscottino, Lollipop, O'Russ, and Briatò—who forsake their childhood for a life of crime. This marks Giovannesi's seventh directorial effort, where he eschews sensationalism by casting local first-time actors such as Francesco Di Napoli and Ciro Vecchione. Saviano, who co-wrote the screenplay, emphasizes that the film reflects a generation entangled in crime for wealth and social media fame. Unlike the 'Gomorra' series, Giovannesi's focus is on the universal struggles of adolescence. The film, shot last summer in Naples, is set for release in Italian theaters on February 13, distributed by Vision Distribution and Palomar.