Article by Marilina Rita Monzo

Translation by Giacomo Patterlini

In Avemmaria, what stands out is not the story, but a perspective: that of a man who, on the threshold of fatherhood, realises he cannot move forward without coming to terms with the child he once was. This insight gave rise to Fortunato Cerlino’s directorial debut, presented at the 43rd Turin Film Festival. The work naturally weaves together two periods of life, building a continual debate between the adult Felice, the director’s alter ego – played by Salvatore Esposito – and the young Felice, played by Mario Di Leva.

The focus of the story is a dialogue in which the adult man provokes, pushes, blames his past self, while that same childlike self restores an ability to look ahead that life had already worn down. Lighting the way is Teacher Giulia, a tender character to whom the film is dedicated. She was the one who taught Felice that dreams are the only form of hope, a legacy that he now protects with gratitude and pain.

The film’s background is Pianura: more than just a setting, it is a symbolic place, where opportunities are scarce and imagination is often the only resource for survival. The moon and Armstrong’s venture become images of a possible elsewhere. The film delicately alternates between two registers: on the one hand, the harsh scenes of everyday life and pervasive violence; on the other, the moments when the child’s mind opens unexpected windows. Felice dreams and invents, even when everything is against him, as when his desire to sing stumbles against his family’s poverty. Popular faith transcends religion and becomes a form of emotional resistance.

Avemmaria describes the weight of origins and the difficulty of seeing a tomorrow when everything seems already decided, but leaves a glimmer of hope: «even a leopard can change its spots». And Felice is proof of that.

Article published on “la Repubblica” on November 24th 2025