124 minutes
Midwest Premiere
Napoli – New York is the exhilarating, moving, fable-like, adventure of a film you get when a long-lost script by a young Federico Fellini lands in the hands of one of contemporary Italian Cinema’s most versatile and eclectic Academy Award winning storytellers.
This film is recommended for audiences of all ages yet some violent content could be considered inappropriate for children under 13.
ABOUT THE FILM
Set in the immediate aftermath of World War II, “Napoli – New York” follows the journey of Carmine (Antonio Guerra) and Celestina (Dea Lanzaro), two young Neapolitan street children struggling to survive amid the ruins of their city. With no family and little hope, they cling to each other, finding courage and friendship in a harsh world. One night, they secretly board a ship bound for New York, hoping to join Celestina’s sister who emigrated months earlier.
Upon arrival, the vast and mysterious metropolis overwhelms them, yet through resilience, resourcefulness, and the kindness of strangers and their encounter with Domenico Garofalo (Pierfrancesco Favino), they gradually discover that this alien city can become home. Their adventure is filled with challenges, small victories, and moments of wonder, capturing the mix of fear, excitement, and hope that accompanies every journey into the unknown.
Inspired by a story penned by Federico Fellini and Tullio Pinelli in the late 1940s, the film combines heartfelt realism with a touch of magic. Oscar winning director Gabriele Salvatores brings these characters to life using a child’s perspective to explore themes of migration, solidarity, and the resilience of the human spirit.
“Napoli – New York” has been recognized for its achievements in cinematic craft, winning the 2024 David di Donatello Awards for Best Visual Effects and the Young Audience Award, celebrating both its technical brilliance and its ability to captivate viewers of all ages.
DIRECTOR’S BIO:
Gabriele Salvatores is an Academy Award–winning filmmaker, celebrated for “Mediterraneo” (1991), which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1992. He began in theatre, co-founding Teatro dell’Elfo, before transitioning to cinema with Marrakech Express (1989) and “Turné” (1990), and went on to direct acclaimed films including “Puerto Escondido” (1991), “Nirvana” (1997), “Io non ho paura” (2003), “The Invisible Boy” (2014 – written with Ludovica Rampoldi), “Volare” (2019). Known for blending realism with poetic imagination, Salvatores continues to create bold, emotionally rich cinema that resonates internationally.
Relased 2024
Directed by Gabriele Salvatores