Gianfranco Rosi's powerful new film Notturno, which premiered and won three awards at the Venice Film Festival before screening at the Toronto Film Festival, the New York Film Festival and the BFI London Film Festival, was the Italian entry for the Academy Awards 2021 and was nominated for Best International Independent Film at the BIFA awards 2020.
Notturno is a sweeping depiction of three turbulent years in the heart of Middle Eastern war zones, observing the devastating toll being taken on civilian populations who have no choice but to live on the frontlines. As intimate as it is profoundly moving, the film is an urgent cinematic achievement from a master of the documentary form.
Told using footage captured from the borders of Iran, Kurdistan, Syria and Lebanon, the film depicts the everyday struggles of people attempting to rebuild their lives amongst the devastating effects of civil wars, dictatorships, foreign invasions, and the deadly presence of ISIS. Rosi foregrounds simple acts of humanity found within the most violent of settings, from a Tazisi mother's anguish over her kidnapped daughter, to female Peshmerga guerrillas defending their battle stations, and a teenager’s daily toil to feed his family.
Notturno Extras: Q&A conversation with Gianfranco Rosi and Alejandro González Iñárritu. Pre-order at the link above.
