The Hand of God

2021 2h 10m IT

🙌

7.5

BANGER

★7.5TMDB · 1,821

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In 1980s Naples, an awkward teen struggling to find his place experiences heartbreak and liberation after he's inadvertently saved from a freak accident by football legend Diego Maradona.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Filippo Scotti
Fabietto Schisa
Toni Servillo
Saverio Schisa
Teresa Saponangelo
Maria Schisa
Luisa Ranieri
Patrizia
Marlon Joubert
Marchino Schisa
Massimiliano Gallo
Franco
Betti Pedrazzi
Baronessa Focale
Renato Carpentieri
Alfredo

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Paolo Sorrentino
Writers: Paolo Sorrentino
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 / 7

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 1% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 5 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Paolo Sorrentino, shot by Daria D'Antonio. 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 Lele Marchitelli. 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 Cristiano Travaglioli 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

Filippo Scotti and Toni Servillo and Teresa Saponangelo carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt12680684 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Paolo Sorrentino directs. Daria D'Antonio behind the camera. Lele Marchitelli scores. Cristiano Travaglioli cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Italy. Dialogue in Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 1% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released 5 years ago.
3Directed by Paolo Sorrentino, shot by Daria D'Antonio. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Lele Marchitelli. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Cristiano Travaglioli shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Filippo Scotti and Toni Servillo and Teresa Saponangelo carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt12680684 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 10 themes, including "italy", "naples, italy", "loss of virginity", "family relationships".

The technical file

Cinematography: Daria D'Antonio
Original score: Lele Marchitelli
Editing: Cristiano Travaglioli
Production design: Carmine Guarino
Costume design: Mariano Tufano
Makeup / hair: Federico Carretti
VFX supervisor: Rodolfo Migliari
Sound: Michele Mazzucco
Runtime: 130 min · 2h 10m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $13,050,000
Box office: $167,909
Return: 1% of budget
Original language: IT
Certification (US): R
IMDB: The Hand of God (2021)

Awards

Grand Jury Prize of the Venice Film Festival

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

Also by

Paolo Sorrentino

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

badelf2021-12-20
★ 10/10
Calling this a "coming-of-age" film is like calling Bud Lite a beer. They're not in the same class. I compare this film to my other favorite re-telling of a seminal childhood memory - Joanna Hogg's Souvenir. The great Austrian poet, Rainer Maria Rilke, once wrote "For it is not yet the memories themselves. Not till they have turned to blood within us, to glance and gesture, nameless and no longer to be distinguished from ourselves - not till then can it happen that in a most rare hour the first word of a verse arises in their midst and goes forth from them." And that is visible here. Sorrentino writes this film in his own nameless, demential blood. I laughed. I cried. This film is one of those rare captures of the human condition. This is a brilliant piece of storytelling with masterful direction and top-notch acting. That's all I have to say.
CinemaSerf2022-03-28
★ 7/10
Told largely from the perspective of the young "Fabietto" (Filippo Scotti), this is a charming tale of this youth who lives with elder brother "Marchino" (Marlon Joubert) and his parents "Saverio" (Toni Servillo) and "Maria" (Teresa Saponangelo). Both teenagers are frequently tempted by their somewhat exhibitionist aunt "Patricia" (Luisa Ranieri) a temptation only matched by their (and the entire city of Naples') desire to see Diego Maradona come and play at Napoli. Director Paolo Sorrentino packs quite a lot into this story. Sex, fun, friendship, betrayal, tragedy, beautiful scenery and a sense of family that is usually quite difficult to encapsulate without becoming too sentimental. The young Scotti (who reminded me a lot of Timothée Chalamet) plays well as an archetypal boy - he likes football and girls, but has no idea about the latter; and the engaging character development from boy to man is told quite imaginatively, I felt. No, it doesn't need a big screen - indeed maybe that compromises some of the intimacy of the story, but if you want to see a well crafted, enjoyable to look at story then I'd recommend this.