This Italian film directed by twins Damiano and Fabio D’Innocenzo explores the tragic lives of two high-schoolers and childhood best friends – Manolo (Andrea Carpenzano) and Mirko (Matteo Olivetti), who are coerced into crime by their environment, their families and by circumstance.
They both live in poor conditions, deliver pizzas and do occasional odd jobs to earn a bit of cash to make ends meet. Together they are studying hotel management at the local college and share dreams of women, sex and money, and of a better life to come.
Then one evening while driving home, their lives are changed forever: they hit a man and, terrified, they run off. They head for Manolo’s father’s house who advises them to act like nothing has happened.
Then, a few days later, he nudges his own son down the path of delinquency when he finds out that the man knocked down was a reformed member of a local criminal ring who had betrayed his former colleagues and was in hiding. Manolo’s father believes that the fact they have killed a turncoat may win them the favour of this criminal ring, meaning the boys could turn the situation to their own advantage.
Manolo is confused to begin with, but he ends up following his father’s advice and starts working for the local boss, dragging Mirko along with him into a living hell they mistake for the promised land.
The boys step into a world of drugs, prostitution and settling of scores. It earns them a lot of money but it also alienates them from their loved ones and from the little bit of good they had been building in their lives thus far.
Other screenings/events today
At St James Cavalier Cinema:
Anote’s Ark at 1pm
Short film programme D at 3pm
Island of the Hungry Ghosts at 5pm
Don’t Be Nice at 7pm
Welcome to Sodom at 9.15pm
At Embassy Cinemas:
The Seventh Seal at 2pm
Don’t Forget Me at 4pm
Children of the Snow Land at 6pm
Mug at 8.30pm
At Valletta Campus Theatre:
The Pillow Book at noon
Angels Wear White at 2.30pm
Of Love and Law at 4.30pm
Wild Strawberries at 6.30pm
Human Flow at 8.45pm
Eurimages information session
Eurimages is the cultural support fund of the Council of Europe aimed at promoting the co-production, distribution, exhibition and digitisation of European cinematographic works. A total of 37 of the 47 member states of the Strasbourg-based organisation form part of Euroimages and Canada is an associate member.
An information session on the fund will be addressed by Eurimages project manager Anton Calleja in the Music Room of St James Cavalier at 5pm.
While Malta is not yet a member of Eurimages, prospective local producers and film-makers are encouraged to attend the session to widen their knowledge about the programme if they are interested in co-producing with other countries.
Admission is free but subject to reservation via www.vallettafilmfestival.com.
Boys Cry will be screened at Pjazza Teatru Rjal, Valletta, today at 9pm. For tickets and information about other films showing at the Valletta Film Festival, visit www.vallettafilmfestival.com. The festival, which runs until Sunday, is supported by Arts Council Malta.