Sommersi

Presentation
Sommersi is inspired by the short film of the same name, produced in 2023 and funded by the Emilia-Romagna Film Commission. Directed by Gian Marco Pezzoli, written by Baracco Giorgia and Bedeschi Marta, and produced by Kamera Film. The idea for Sommersi arose as a stimulus for social reflection on today’s youth. Inspired by true stories, we wanted to explore the troubled period of adolescence. Among the various social phenomena, we chose one because, for many years, we have witnessed recurring news stories: young people, mostly minors, throwing stones from overpasses, causing accidents that are sometimes fatal. In fact, the references for this feature film are certainly the films of director Gus Van Sant, specifically Paranoid Park and Elephant. More recently, the film Close by Lukas Dhont.

Synopsis
In Castel del Rio, a medieval village hidden in the Emilian-Romagna Apennines, the summer of 2023 could last forever. It’s the last day of vacation before returning to school and the heat and boredom mark the time of two teenagers, Michael and Lorenzo. They walk along the banks of the Santerno River, wandering freely without the anxiety of tomorrow. Soon, adolescent lightness emerges in a game with dangerous undertones. The two boys challenge each other to throw stones from an overpass. A stupid gesture with terrible consequences: a car is hit, the driver swerves and crashes into a tree. Then darkness. But Nature continues its course impassively and, after days of incessant rain, the river level rises more and more, the banks overflow with unexpected consequences. Michael and Lorenzo, for the first time, face life, theirs and that of the man who lost it. To avoid being drowned, they must choose whether to live with that terrible mistake or redeem themselves by atoning for their sins.