Fiore, an Italian conman, arrives in post Communist Albania with Gino, his young apprentice, to set up a shoe factory that will never open. The con requires a native Albanian, so they designate Spiro, an impoverished and confused former political prisoner as chairman of the board. When Fiore returns to Italy to get government funds for the project, Spiro unexpectedly disappears and Gino sets out on a journey to find him. The search leads him to discover Spiro's tragic personal history and witness Albanian poverty firsthand.
Direction
Amelio's documentary-like patience with human decay
Cinematography
Albania as post-apocalyptic landscape before CGI existed
Acting
Lo Verso's transformation from hustler to haunted witness
Director
Gianni Amelio
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
IT
