I initially had planned on ignoring this film for the reasons that Professor Emeritus James Mancuso outlines in his reactions, but since he was irritated sufficiently, to pen his objections, I am transmitting. Two different film reviews indicate the locale of  Southern Italy, more specifically as Sicily.

American Film Producers long ago came to the realization that the Foreign Market was SO Important Financially, that they had to seriously consider Plot and Casting through that prism.

Perhaps Italian Film Producers will also come to the realization that the potential  Market of those of Italian Ancestry outside Italy, like the US, Canada, Australia, England, Brazil & Argentina are SO Important that the Italian Film Producers will take into consideration the sensitivities of those of Italian Ancestry Overseas.

Those Sensitivities are the awareness that American Film Producers bombard those of Italian Ancestry with such an unrelenting torrent of Negative Stereotyping, that those of Italian Ancestry Overseas don't Need or Want any more Negative Depictions, and would prefer to embrace a Positive Depiction, (not necessarily a Perfect Depiction).
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REACTION TO THE FILM "I'M NOT SCARED" ("NON HO PAURA")

Once again film critics are going into some kind of ecstasy about a film that fortifies the view that the Italians, especially Southern Italians, should be viewed with serious suspicion.

The movie I'M NOT SCARED (NON HO PAURA) is being given high positive ratings by the trendsetters of the movie industry.  In a week in which Italian films will be highlighted in the Los Angeles area, the LOS ANGELES TIMESmovielistings, which lists dozen of films, indicates that the I'M NOT SCARED was one film worth seeing.

The film, which opens with the clear announcement that the action takes place in southern Italy, features a handsome, appealing young lad who is a member of a very openly affectionate family.

Through a series of tortuously contrived episodes, the boy, Michele, comes upon another boy who has been kidnapped and has been held prisoner in a deep hole that had been excavated near an abandoned farmhouse. Strangely, Michele does not immediately report his discovery to his father, with whom he is supposed to have a loving relationship.

Instead, Michele undertakes to feed and otherwise give succor to the entrapped boy, Filippo.  One reviewer attributes Michele's lack of willingness to share his discovery with the police to the boy's lack of maturity, and -- of course -- to the lack of police presence in that "rural place."

It turns out that Michele discovers that his father has colluded with the kidnappers.  The kidnappers also discover, eventually, that Michele has found the imprisoned kidnap victim.

In a highly contrived ending of the film, the Carabinieri arrive, like the cavalry riding to the rescue of the pioneers trapped by the Indians, to bring about a contrived happy ending to the film.

If the viewer can assume that unseen Carabinieri are in the rescuing helicopters, the Carabinieri would represent the only adults portrayed in the film who might be presented as solid exemplars of worthy citizens.

Even Michele's mother, who enacts her affection for the boy with touching emotionality, is willing to insist that the boy tolerate the abuse given to him by the "visiting" members of the kidnap crew -- who she knows to be the kidnappers.

Expressing the hopelessness of life in their community, as she tries to put Michele at ease with the happenings in the household, she offers only one solace...  She says something like, "Michele, promise me that when you grow up you will get
out of this place..... "

There is no doubt that this very disappointing film will fit nicely into the stereotyped field that has been created by writers and film makers who purvey images of South Italy as a place inhabited by overpassionate, ungovernable, semi-primitive specimens who are assumed to be humans.

Have I seriously misjudged the people of South Italy, a space that I have visited many times and which I hope to visit many times more?

James C. Mancuso, Ph. D.
Los Angeles, CA   90020

www.mancusopersonalital.net
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