Four siblings who have moved to Central and Northen Italy with their respective families go back to their hometown, where their elderly parents live, to celebrate Christmas. The exterior shots were taken in Sulmona, in the province of L'Aquila, although there are many references to the traditions of Lanciano (CH).
The story, told from the point of view of young Mario, opens with a view of the city, from Porta Napoli, which is located in Corso Ovidio: from here, the young boy tells us, you can get straight to Naples and Garibaldi passed through on his way to Caprera. Also in Corso Ovidio is the Church of San Francesco della Scarpa, built at the behest of the Madonna visiting the town. The old school of the mauro's mother, Lina, which later becomes the municipal headquarters, is Palazzo Sardi. It is snowing heavily when Mauro and his parents arrive at his grandparents' house, the exteriors of which, visible on several occasions including by night when the four siblings go out for a snowball fight, are those of via Amendola.
The visit continues more or less peacefully, between memories, bits of gossip and the odd spiteful remark.
There's even time for La Squilla, an ancient tradition of Lanciano that takes place on 23 December: a bell begins to ring, everyone stops what they're doing and children kiss the hands of their parents.
At midnight, after the Christmas Eve dinner, the group gets ready for Midnight Mass at the Church of Santa Maria di Loreto, another opportunity to see and gossip about old acquaintances.
In a bar right in the centre of town in Piazza XX settembre, where there is a statue of the town's most illustrious inhabitant, Ovid, the brothers hold a meeting to decide who will take care of Grandmother Trieste and Grandfather Saverio, when Trieste announces that they wish to spend the last years of their lives at the home of one of their children.
Four siblings who have moved to Central and Northen Italy with their respective families go back to their hometown, where their elderly parents live, to celebrate Christmas. The exterior shots were taken in Sulmona, in the province of L'Aquila, although there are many references to the traditions of Lanciano (CH).
The story, told from the point of view of young Mario, opens with a view of the city, from Porta Napoli, which is located in Corso Ovidio: from here, the young boy tells us, you can get straight to Naples and Garibaldi passed through on his way to Caprera. Also in Corso Ovidio is the Church of San Francesco della Scarpa, built at the behest of the Madonna visiting the town. The old school of the mauro's mother, Lina, which later becomes the municipal headquarters, is Palazzo Sardi. It is snowing heavily when Mauro and his parents arrive at his grandparents' house, the exteriors of which, visible on several occasions including by night when the four siblings go out for a snowball fight, are those of via Amendola.
The visit continues more or less peacefully, between memories, bits of gossip and the odd spiteful remark.
There's even time for La Squilla, an ancient tradition of Lanciano that takes place on 23 December: a bell begins to ring, everyone stops what they're doing and children kiss the hands of their parents.
At midnight, after the Christmas Eve dinner, the group gets ready for Midnight Mass at the Church of Santa Maria di Loreto, another opportunity to see and gossip about old acquaintances.
In a bar right in the centre of town in Piazza XX settembre, where there is a statue of the town's most illustrious inhabitant, Ovid, the brothers hold a meeting to decide who will take care of Grandmother Trieste and Grandfather Saverio, when Trieste announces that they wish to spend the last years of their lives at the home of one of their children.
13-year-old Monica, the daughter of Alessandro and Gina, wants to be a dancer on TV programme 'Fantastico', but can't resist chocolate bocconotti, sweet pastries typical of Castel Frentano (CH).
The family's Christmas dinner, with its sweet nothings and falseness, features passatelli pasta in broth, salted cod with fried cauliflower and eel, of course.
Clemi Cinematografica
A Christmas of family misery, with elderly parents and their children who have grown apart emotionally.
