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It Was the Son poster

It Was the Son

2012 1h 30m IT
👍
6.9
SOLID
★6.9TMDB · 84
ComedyCrimeDrama
Synopsis
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The Ciraulo family lives in the miserable district of Palermo called "Zen". When one of their children dies in a shootout between mafia gangsters they receive compensation and buy a luxury black Volvo. Things go wrong when Trancredi, another son, takes the car out and damages the car door.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Credits

Behind the camera

Director
Daniele Ciprì
Writers
Daniele Ciprì, Massimo Gaudioso, Miriam Rizzo
Languages
Italian
Countries
Italy

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8
RUNTIME

Did you know

90 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01
2 / 8
MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $2.1M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 51% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
ERA

Did you know

Released 14 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Daniele Ciprì, shot by Daniele Ciprì. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Carlo Crivelli. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Francesca Calvelli shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
CAST

Did you know

Toni Servillo and Giselda Volodi and Alfredo Castro carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Daniele Ciprì directs. Daniele Ciprì behind the camera. Carlo Crivelli scores. Francesca Calvelli cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Italy. Dialogue in Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

  • 190 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
  • 2Shot for just $2.1M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
  • 3Earned back only 51% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
  • 4Released 14 years ago.
  • 5Directed by Daniele Ciprì, shot by Daniele Ciprì. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
  • 6Original score by Carlo Crivelli. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
  • 7Editor Francesca Calvelli shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
  • 8Toni Servillo and Giselda Volodi and Alfredo Castro carry the top of the cast.
  • 9IMDB entry: tt1891788 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
  • 10Only 84 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
  • 11Released under 12 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography
Daniele Ciprì
Original score
Carlo Crivelli
Editing
Francesca Calvelli
Production design
Marco Dentici
Costume design
Grazia Colombini
Makeup / hair
Daniela Altieri
VFX supervisor
Gianluca Salerno
Sound
Valerio Secondini
Runtime
90 min · 1h 30m
Status
Released
Budget
$2,100,000
Box office
$1,073,326
Return
51% of budget
Original language
IT

Also by

Daniele Ciprì

Production companies

Who made it

  • Fandango

    Fandango

    IT

  • RAI Cinema

    RAI Cinema

    IT

  • Palomar

    Palomar

    IT

  • BA

    Babe Film

  • FA

    FaroFilm

  • AL

    Aleteia Communication

  • MiC

    MiC

    IT

  • Apulia Film Commission

    Apulia Film Commission

    IT

Key crew

  • ProducerAlessandra Acciai
  • EditorFrancesca Calvelli
  • Production DesignMarco Dentici
  • CastingLucille Cristaldi
  • Set DecorationCristiana Possenti
  • Costume DesignGrazia Colombini
  • ProducerGiorgio Magliulo
  • ThanksAnnalisa Baiocco
  • ThanksYari Carrisi
  • ThanksToni D'Angelo
  • ThanksNino D'Angelo
  • Digital CompositorGianluca Lo Guasto
  • Visual Effects SupervisorGianluca Salerno
  • ThanksAl Bano
  • ElectricianNicola Saponaro
  • Visual Effects ProducerGiovanna Fronduti
  • Digital ColoristIvan Tozzi
  • ThanksFrancesco Ciprì
  • ThanksFederico Tocchella
  • Key GripMassimo Lazzara
  • ThanksFabio Granata
  • Visual EffectsAlessio Pericò
  • Digital CompositorMicaela Tempesta
  • Camera LoaderFloriana Cosentino

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

  • palermo, sicily
  • mafia

Release history · US

When it landed

  • Premiere2013-06-16· Shanghai International Film Festival

Also known as

International titles

  • The Son Did itGB
  • It Was the SonUS
  • 他的兒子TW
  • Byl to synCZ
  • Mon père va me tuerFR
  • Volt egyszer egy családHU
  • Det var sønnenNO
  • Sprawcą był synPL
  • Это был сынRU
  • Bol to synSK
  • Det var sonenSE
  • Ha sido el hijoUY

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