I’M NOT SCARED (IO NON HO PAURA) European Showcase

Haunting and suspenseful, I’M NOT SCARED tells the story of a boy who discovers a chilling secret just beneath the surface of an idyllic rural landscape. Director Gabriele Salvatores (MEDITERRANEO) delves into his characters’ hearts through images that are as keenly intelligent as they are striking.

It is 1978, the hottest summer of the century. Nine-year-old Michele lives in a hamlet with his parents and younger sister. Roaming the countryside, he discovers that a covered pit in an abandoned farmyard hides Filippo, a boy about his age, clinging to life in abject conditions. Michele develops a relationship with the prisoner, but tells no one of his find. Soon he must confront the reality that he holds the fate of a fragile human life in his hands.

In spite of its coming-of-age storyline and child’s perspective, I’M NOT SCARED is infused with the subtle, sinister mood of a thriller, progressively layering elements of suspense as the plot builds.