Io Capitano

2023 2h 1m IT

🙌

7.8

BANGER

★7.8TMDB · 855

AdventureDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Longing for a brighter future, two Senegalese teenagers embark on a journey from West Africa to Italy. However, between their dreams and reality lies a labyrinth of checkpoints, the Sahara Desert, and the vast waters of the Mediterranean.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Seydou Sarr
Seydou
Moustapha Fall
Moussa
Issaka Sawadogo
Martin
Hichem Yacoubi
Ahmed
Doodou Sagna
Charlatan
Khady Sy
Seydou's Mother
Venus Gueye
Seydou's Sister
Cheick Oumar Diaw
Sisko

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Matteo Garrone
Writers: Massimo Ceccherini, Matteo Garrone, Massimo Gaudioso
Languages: Italian, Wolof, French, English
Countries: Belgium, France, 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

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 4 languages: Italian, Wolof, French, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: Belgium, France, Italy.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Directed by Matteo Garrone, shot by Paolo Carnera. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Seydou Sarr and Moustapha Fall and Issaka Sawadogo carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt14225838 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Matteo Garrone directs. Paolo Carnera behind the camera. Andrea Farri scores. Marco Spoletini cuts. Produced in Belgium, France, Italy. Dialogue in Italian, Wolof, French, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 3 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 4 languages: Italian, Wolof, French, English.
3International production across 3 countries: Belgium, France, Italy.
4Directed by Matteo Garrone, shot by Paolo Carnera. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Andrea Farri. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Marco Spoletini shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Seydou Sarr and Moustapha Fall and Issaka Sawadogo carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt14225838 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Released under 17 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Paolo Carnera
Original score: Andrea Farri
Editing: Marco Spoletini
Production design: Dimitri Capuani
Costume design: Stefano Ciammitti
Makeup / hair: Ghislaine Nejjar
Stunt coordinator: Abdellah Oukseh
Runtime: 121 min · 2h 1m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $13,272,819
Original language: IT
IMDB: Io Capitano (2023)

Awards

Silver Lion
Marcello Mastroianni Award

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

Also by

Matteo Garrone

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Brent Marchant2024-02-26
★ 6/10
Movies about the flood of new immigrants into Europe from Africa and the Middle East have been growing in number in recent years. Depictions of the many hardships these individuals face (sometimes graphic and disturbing in nature) have been making their way into the cinematic community, showing exactly what these desperate freedom seekers are up against. And this latest offering in this genre does just that in telling the story of two Senegalese teens as they make the perilous attempt to find their way to a new life in Italy. Writer-director Matteo Garrone tells the harrowing tale of cousins Seydou (Seydou Sarr) and Moussa (Moustapha Fall) as they wrestle with the challenges of the environment, unrepentant scammers, forced detention and torture by authorities and criminals, and the harsh conditions of crossing the Mediterranean. However, while the film features fine performances, cinematography and location settings, it all seems a little too familiar, a tale with a hole-filled plot and a series of cliffhangers that seem to have all-too-convenient solutions to them. It’s also overlong, filled with a variety of sequences that could have been easily pared back without losing anything meaningful. Nevertheless, these shortcomings are countered, to a certain extent, by an intriguing mystical and surreal subtext, which is actually the picture’s strongest (though most woefully underdeveloped) aspect. In light of the foregoing, then, I must admit that I’m somewhat mystified how this release managed to secure so many accolades, including Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for best international film, especially given how many other better offerings were available. “Io Capitano” is one of those movies that makes a good instructional picture for those who’d like to know more about the plight of this new wave of immigrants, but its hype seems a bit inflated in the face of previous releases on this subject and other foreign language offerings more deserving of the praise.
CinemaSerf2024-04-06
★ 7/10
At times this is a really quite harrowing film to watch as we follow two cousins "Seydou" (Seydou Sarr) and "Moussa" (Moustapha Fall) on one hell of a journey. They are still going to school in Dakar, but have secretly dreamed of heading to Europe. The work hard in their spare time, and try to keep their mother's in the dark until the time comes to start their journey. Getting from their homeland is comparatively easy - they get a bus, but once they begin their travels in earnest, that's when they (and we) encounter the appalling people traffickers who try to get them across the Sahara to Libya where even worse awaits them. The venality of the human spirit is writ hugely here as people are beaten, tortured, imprisoned and sold and with the boys briefly separated, we now focus on the tribulations of the determined and strong-willed "Seydou" who must get his friend to an hospital - even if that means driving a boat full of fellow migrants himself across the Mediterranean to Sicily! The two boys are super here, there's a chemistry between them that shows well their stoicism, perseverance and loyalty to each other - in the face of some fairly eye-watering ghastliness. It's not without it's humour and the effectiveness of their facial expressions isn't wasted on the camera on these occasions. These two are engaging and I felt as invested in their success as I felt disgusted by man's gross inhumanity to those so apparently vulnerable that they barely had the clothes they (sort of) stood up in. If you saw "Flee" (2021) then you'll have an idea what you are in for, only this time we have some stunning real photography of this planet when it's at is most arid, hostile and unforgiving. I can't think this will ever get too general a cinema release, but if you do get a chance then it's well worth catching.