Padre Padrone

1977 1h 54m IT

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 136

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The true story of the life of Gavino Ledda, the son of a Sardinian shepherd, and how he managed to escape his harsh, almost barbaric existence by slowly educating himself, despite violent opposition from his brutal father.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Omero Antonutti
Padre
Saverio Marconi
Gavino
Marcella Michelangeli
Madre
Fabrizio Forte
Young Gavino
Marino Cenna
Young shepherd
Stanko Molnar
Sebastiano
Gavino Ledda
Himself
Nanni Moretti
Cesare

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Vittorio Taviani
Writers: Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
Languages: German, Italian, Latin, Sardinian
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 / 7

ERA

Did you know

49 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 4 languages: German, Italian, Latin, Sardinian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Vittorio Taviani, shot by Mario Masini. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Omero Antonutti and Saverio Marconi and Marcella Michelangeli carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0076517 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Vittorio Taviani directs. Mario Masini behind the camera. Egisto Macchi scores. Roberto Perpignani cuts. Produced in Italy. Dialogue in German, Italian, Latin, Sardinian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

149 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Dialogue crosses 4 languages: German, Italian, Latin, Sardinian.
3Directed by Vittorio Taviani, shot by Mario Masini. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Egisto Macchi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Roberto Perpignani shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Omero Antonutti and Saverio Marconi and Marcella Michelangeli carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0076517 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 8 themes, including "shepherd", "sheep", "illiteracy", "abusive father".

The technical file

Cinematography: Mario Masini
Original score: Egisto Macchi
Editing: Roberto Perpignani
Production design: Gianni Sbarra
Costume design: Lina Nerli Taviani
Makeup / hair: Gloria Fava
Runtime: 114 min · 1h 54m
Status: Released
Original language: IT
IMDB: Padre Padrone (1977)

Awards

Palme d'Or

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Vittorio Taviani

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2024-05-17
★ 7/10
Based on the true story of author Gavino Ledda, we follow his life growing up on a Sicilian farm where he is subjected to the brutal realism of his father. It all begins when he is taken out of school at a very young age because dad (Omero Antonutti) needs him to tend the sheep and keep them safe from snakes, wolves and bandits! He's barely two foot tall at this stage. This is the template for much of the rest of his childhood as his education is sacrificed to keep them fed and housed. Reaching his adulthood he finds himself manoeuvred into joining the military by his father - a responsibility that rather backfires on the older man as Gavino (now Saverio Marconi) proves not only that he is quite capable of learning - not just the basics of reading and arithmetic, but of understanding the complexities of electrical engineering and radio operation. He decides to return to Sicily after his time in the army, but much more on his own terms and to study at university. Naturally, his disappointed father has other ideas - but can these two men reconcile and Gavino learn to (or want to) forgive his father? Initially, it's really quite easy to loathe the paternal character. Save for one tiny semblance of affection (after a beating) he shows no emotional connection to his son at all. As the film progresses though, it becomes slightly easier to understand that this man comes from a long line of people with little hope, living an hand-to-mouth existence with no education and little belief in opportunity. Is it despite him or partly because of him that Gavino has such an independent spirit? Marconi delivers strongly here and both he and Antonutti sustain the degree of familial tension as both realise that change is inevitable. Change and ageing. I like the indefinite nature of the conclusion - it's all a work in process and one I found quite compelling to watch.

Production companies