Gabriele Salvatores made his mark on the international film scene with his remarkable 1991 film Mediterraneo, for which he was rightly awarded the Oscar for Best Foreign Language film. Since then, while his films haven't quite been acclaimed in a similar way, he has busily turned himself into one of Italy's leading filmmakers with projects such as Nirvana in 1997 and 2000's Denti. I'm Not Scared is likely to widen his worldwide cache once again.
This is a film about childhood and the moments when children realise that everything may not be as perfect as they perceive it to be in their daydreams. The film opens in the lush corn-filled plains of Southern Italy, where a group of young bambini while away their days playing hide and seek and reward games, using the local ruins as their playgrounds. These kids are by no means from wealthy backgrounds, all living in a deprived country village where their parents struggle to make a living.
One of the children, Michele, takes off on his own to investigate a local ruined house. After hearing strange noises, he comes across a hole containing a mysterious figure. Soon it transpires that the figure is another boy of roughly the same age. But what is he doing in the hole?
Salvatores knows how to build up tension from the very first shot of the film: the lush countryside (beautifully shot by Italo Petriccione) seems like an idyllic place for the children to roam, but it clearly also contains its own secrets and hidden dangers. The film is visually stunning, yet simple in its make-up and editing without any sense of false bravura.
The children perform superbly in this environment, and it is hard to believe they are all newcomers to the screen. The two leading boys, Guiseppe Cristiano and Mattia Di Pierro, are hugely natural and believable in their respective roles and acquit themselves alongside a strong adult cast.
The film has the feel of a fairytale, but a darker and more sinister one. With plenty of genuine tension and an unusual and well-told story, this should be a popular release outside of its native country.
