The Hand of God | |
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Italian | È stata la mano di Dio |
Directed by | Paolo Sorrentino |
Written by | Paolo Sorrentino |
Produced by |
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Starring |
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Cinematography | Daria D'Antonio |
Edited by | Cristiano Travaglioli |
Music by | Lele Marchitelli |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Netflix |
Release dates |
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Running time | 130 minutes[1] |
Country | Italy |
Language | Italian |
The Hand of God (Italian: È stata la mano di Dio, lit. 'It Was the Hand of God') is a 2021 Italian semi-autobiographical drama film written, directed and produced by Paolo Sorrentino. Set in Naples, the film delves into Sorrentino's own youth. Its cast features Filippo Scotti, Toni Servillo, Teresa Saponangelo, Marlon Joubert, Luisa Ranieri, Renato Carpentieri, Massimiliano Gallo, Betti Pedrazzi, Enzo Decaro, Sofya Gershevich, Lino Musella and Biagio Manna.
At the 78th Venice International Film Festival, it competed for the Golden Lion, winning the Grand Jury Prize; Filippo Scotti's performance earned him the Marcello Mastroianni Award. Following a limited theatrical release on 24 November 2021, the film became available for streaming on Netflix on 15 December 2021. It received a nomination for Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards.[2]
Plot
[edit]In 1984 Naples, Fabietto Schisa enjoys a carefree adolescence with his close-knit family amidst eccentric relatives and friends. However, their peace is shattered: Maria's sister, Patrizia, faces abuse from her husband; Marchino's acting dreams falter after a failed audition with Federico Fellini; Maria discovers Saverio's infidelity.
Amidst turmoil, the acquisition of Diego Maradona by Napoli brings hope and joy, especially for Fabietto, who finds solace in Maradona amidst the chaos. Saverio and Maria reconcile, buying a villa in Roccaraso for family vacations. They invite Fabietto for a weekend getaway, but he declines to attend a Napoli-Empoli match to see Maradona play.
Tragically, Saverio and Maria die from a carbon monoxide leak at the villa. The loss devastates the Schisa siblings, especially Fabietto, who is prevented from seeing his parents' bodies. He grapples with survivor's guilt but also gains a new perspective from his uncle Alfredo's belief that he was saved by "the hand of God". Amidst profound grief and confusion, Fabietto searches for meaning and direction.
Meanwhile, Aunt Patrizia is hospitalized in a psychiatric facility. During Fabietto's visit, she shares her story: miraculously pregnant after an encounter with Saint Gennaro and the "munaciello", but subsequent abuse led to a miscarriage. Feeling trapped, she chose hospitalization to escape her oppressive life. This sparks Fabietto's desire to move to Rome. He has his first sexual encounter with a neighbor, Baroness Focale, who empathizes with his struggles. He also befriends Armando, a smuggler, delving into Neapolitan crime.
Fascinated by cinematography, inspired by a film and actress, Fabietto dreams of studying it. Meanwhile, his relationships with Marchino and Daniela sour: Marchino avoids the future, and Daniela reveals a half-brother fathered by their dad's affair. During a performance by Yulia, Fabietto witnesses director Antonio Capuano harshly criticize her flaws. They discuss Fabietto's desire to study cinema in Rome, but Capuano perceives it as an attempt to escape pain. He advises Fabietto not to flee from Naples but to embrace its stories.
Meanwhile, Napoli wins its first league title. After their encounter, Fabietto decides to keep his promise to go to Rome. During the train journey, he encounters a "munaciello" at a desolate station,[3] echoing his parents' affectionate whistle.
Cast
[edit]- Filippo Scotti as Fabietto Schisa
- Toni Servillo as Saverio Schisa
- Teresa Saponangelo as Maria Schisa
- Luisa Ranieri as Patrizia
- Massimiliano Gallo as Franco
- Renato Carpentieri as Alfredo
- Ciro Capano as Antonio Capuano[4]
- Marlon Joubert as Marchino Schisa
- Betti Pedrazzi as Baronessa Focale
- Biagio Manna as Armando
- Enzo De Caro as San Gennaro
- Sofya Gershevich as Yulia
- Roberto Oliveri as Maurizio
- Lino Musella as Mariettiello
- Cristiana Dell'Anna as Armando's sister
- Monica Nappo as Silvana
- Carmen Pommella as Annarella
- Adriano Saleri as Federico Fellini's assistant
- Alfonso Perugini as Dante Ferretti
Production
[edit]In July 2020, it was announced Paolo Sorrentino would write, direct, and produce the film, with Netflix attached to distribute.[5] That same month, a lawyer for Diego Maradona stated he was considering legal action against the film for its title, as it is a reference to Maradona's 1986 FIFA World Cup goal against England, and use of Maradona's image was not authorized. Netflix responded that the film is not a sports film or about Maradona and instead a personal story inspired by Sorrentino's youth.[6] In September 2020, Toni Servillo joined the cast of the film, with principal photography commencing that same month, in Naples, Italy.[7]
Release
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/The_Hand_of_God_Venice.jpg/220px-The_Hand_of_God_Venice.jpg)
The Hand of God had its world premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on 2 September 2021. It became available worldwide on Netflix on 15 December 2021.[8]
Reception
[edit]Critical response
[edit]On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 83% based on 157 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Although The Hand of God isn't Sorrentino's best work, this beautifully filmed coming-of-age story sings in a beguiling, albeit minor, key."[9] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 76 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[10]
Accolades
[edit]Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Academy Awards | 27 March 2022 | Best International Feature Film | Italy | Nominated | [11] |
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards | 18 March 2022 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | [12] |
BAFTA Awards | 13 March 2022 | Best Film Not In the English Language | The Hand of God | Nominated | [13] |
Best Casting | Annamaria Sambucco | Nominated | |||
Black Film Critics Circle Awards | 22 December 2021 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Hand of God | Won | [14] |
Capri Hollywood International Film Festival | 4 January 2022 | Best International Feature | The Hand of God | Won | [15] |
Best Director | Paolo Sorrentino | Won | |||
Breakout Actor of the Year | Filippo Scotti | Won | |||
European Feature Film of the Year | The Hand of God | Won | |||
European Director of the Year | Paolo Sorrentino | Won | |||
European Producer of the Year | Lorenzo Mieli | Won | |||
Italian Actor of the Year | Toni Servillo | Won | |||
Italian Actress of the Year | Teresa Saponangelo | Won | |||
Casting Society of America | 17 March 2022 | Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Studio or Independent Drama | Annamaria Sambucco | Nominated | [16] |
Critics Choice Movie Awards | 13 March 2022 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | [17] |
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association | 20 December 2021 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | [18] |
David di Donatello | 3 May 2022 | Best Film | The Hand of God | Won | [19] |
Best Director | Paolo Sorrentino | Won | |||
Best Original Screenplay | Paolo Sorrentino | Nominated | |||
Best Producer | Paolo Sorrentino & Lorenzo Mieli | Nominated | |||
Best Actor in a Leading Role | Filippo Scotti | Nominated | |||
Best Supporting Actress | Teresa Saponangelo | Won | |||
Luisa Ranieri | Nominated | ||||
Best Supporting Actor | Toni Servillo | Nominated | |||
Best Cinematography | Daria D'Antonio | Won | |||
Best Costumes | Mariano Tufano | Nominated | |||
Best Editing | Cristiano Travaglioli | Nominated | |||
Best Production Design | Iole Autero & Carmine Guarino | Nominated | |||
Best Make-Up | Vincenzo Mastrantonio | Nominated | |||
Best Sound | The Hand of God | Nominated | |||
Best Visual Effects | Rodolfo Migliari | Nominated | |||
David Youth Award | The Hand of God | Won | |||
Dublin Film Critics' Circle | 21 December 2021 | Best Cinematography | Daria D'Antonio | Nominated | [20] |
European Film Awards | 11 December 2021 | Best Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | [21] |
Best Director | Paolo Sorrentino | Nominated | |||
Best Screenplay | Paolo Sorrentino | Nominated | |||
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards | 22 December 2021 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Hand of God | Won | [22] |
Georgia Film Critics Association | 14 January 2022 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | [23] |
Golden Globe Awards | 9 January 2022 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | [24] |
Golden Reel Awards | 13 March 2022 | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Foreign Language Feature | Silvia Moraes | Nominated | [25] |
Goya Awards | 11 February 2023 | Best European Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | [26] |
Hawaii Film Critics Society | 14 January 2022 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Hand of God | Won | [27] |
International Cinephile Society | 6 February 2022 | Best Breakthrough Performance | Filippo Scotti | Nominated | [28] |
Kansas City Film Critics Association | 16 January 2022 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | [29] |
London Film Critics' Circle | 6 February 2022 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | [30] |
London Film Festival | 17 October 2021 | Best Film | Paolo Sorrentino | Nominated | [31] |
Middleburg Film Festival | 21 October 2021 | International Spotlight Award | Paolo Sorrentino | Won | [32] |
Mill Valley Film Festival | 17 October 2021 | Festival Award | Paolo Sorrentino & Filippo Scotti | Won | [33] |
Music City Film Critics Association | 25 January 2022 | Best International Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | [34] |
Newport Beach Film Festival | 28 October 2021 | Best International Film | Paolo Sorrentino | Won | [35] |
North American Film Critic Association | 6 February 2022 | Best Cinematography | Daria D'Antonio | Nominated | [36] |
Best Foreign Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | |||
North Dakota Film Society Awards | 17 January 2022 | Best International Feature | The Hand of God | Nominated | [37] |
Palm Springs International Film Festival | 28 October 2021 | Best Foreign Language Film | Paolo Sorrentino | Nominated | [38] |
Phoenix Critics Circle | 18 December 2021 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | [39] |
Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards | 18 December 2021 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Hand of God | Won | [40] |
Robert Awards | 6 February 2022 | Best Non-English Language Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | [41] |
Satellite Awards | 2 April 2022 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | [42] |
Seattle Film Critics Society | 17 January 2022 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | [43] |
Set Decorators Society of America | 22 February 2022 | Best Achievement in Decor/Design of a Feature Film - Contemporary | Iole Autero & Carmine Guarino | Nominated | [44] |
South African Online Film Critics | 29 December 2021 | Best International Feature Film | The Hand of God | Won | [45] |
St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards | 19 December 2021 | Best International Film | The Hand of God | Runner-up | [46] |
Sydney Film Festival | 15 November 2021 | Best Film | Paolo Sorrentino | Nominated | [47] |
Turkish Film Critics Association | 17 January 2022 | Best Streaming Film | The Hand of God | Nominated | [48] |
Venice Film Festival | 11 September 2021 | Golden Lion | Paolo Sorrentino | Nominated | [49] |
Grand Jury Prize | Paolo Sorrentino | Won | |||
Marcello Mastroianni Award | Filippo Scotti | Won | |||
Pasinetti Award for Best Film | Paolo Sorrentino | Won | |||
Pasinetti Award for Best Actress | Teresa Saponangelo | Won |
See also
[edit]- List of submissions to the 94th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film
- List of Italian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
References
[edit]- ^ "The Hand of God". Venice Biennale. 16 July 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
- ^ "Oscar 94^ Edizione: "È stata la mano di Dio" È il film Italiano designato per la categoria "International Feature Film Award"" (in Italian). ANICA. 26 October 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
- ^ The sign indicates that it's the Formia-Gaeta station, but in reality, the scene was filmed at the Morcone station.
- ^ "The Hand of God Review: Cinema Versus Reality". MovieWeb. 20 December 2021.
- ^ Ravindran, Manori (8 July 2020). "Paolo Sorrentino to Direct 'The Hand of God' for Netflix". Variety. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ Grater, Tom (13 July 2020). "Diego Maradona Exploring Legal Action Over Paolo Sorrentino Netflix Film 'The Hand Of God'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ Vivarelli, Nick (14 September 2020). "Toni Servillo Joins Paolo Sorrentino's 'The Hand of God' as Shooting Starts". Variety. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (19 August 2021). "'The Hand Of God': Teaser For Paolo Sorrentino's Venice-Bound Story Of Fate, Family, Sports, Cinema, Love & Loss". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
- ^ "The Hand of God". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "The Hand of God". Metacritic. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ Jordan, Moreau (21 December 2021). "94th Oscars Shortlists". Oscars.org. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (11 January 2022). "'Belfast' leads AARP Movies for Grownups Awards nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
- ^ Ventura, Andrea (12 January 2022). "Longlists, 2022 EE British Academy Film Awards". Bafta.org. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ Jordan, Moreau (22 December 2021). "'King Richard,' Will Smith and Tessa Thompson Win at Black Film Critics Awards". Variety. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ Feinberg, Scott (4 January 2022). "Capri, Hollywood Film Fest: 'Power of the Dog' Named Best Picture". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (1 February 2022). "'House of Gucci,' 'The French Dispatch,' Zola' among 37th Casting Society of America (CSA) Artios Awards nominees". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
- ^ Jordan, Moreau (17 December 2021). "Film Nominations Announced for the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards". Critics Choice. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ Jordan, Moreau (20 December 2021). "DFW Film Critics Name "Power of the Dog" Best Film of 2021". dfwcritics.com. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
- ^ "David di Donatello 2022: la lista completa dei vincitori". Rolling Stone Italia. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
- ^ Jordan, Moreau (21 December 2021). "Dublin Film Critics go all in for 'The Power of the Dog'". Awardswatch. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
- ^ Roxborough, Scott (9 November 2021). "'Titane', 'Hand of God' Among European Film Awards Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ Jordan, Moreau (17 December 2021). "The 2021 Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) Nominations". NextBestPicture. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (7 January 2022). "Georgia Film Critics Association nominations: 'The Power of the Dog' and 'Licorice Pizza' receive top mentions". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (9 January 2022). "Golden Globes: The Power Of The Dog, West Side Story, Succession Lead Way – Complete Winners List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- ^ Tangchei, Jazz (24 January 2022). "'Dune' Leads Nominations for Golden Reel Awards". Variety. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ "'As bestas' es la favorita de los Premios Goya del relevo generacional: listado de nominaciones". Cinemanía. 1 December 2022 – via 20minutos.es.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (7 January 2022). "Hawaii Film Critics nominations: 'Belfast,' 'Dune,' 'The Power of the Dog' score 10 nods each". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
- ^ Stevens, Beth (16 January 2022). "Benediction, Onoda and The Power of the Dog Lead ICS Nominations". icsfilm.org. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (17 January 2022). "Kansas City Film Critics: 'The Power of the Dog' triumphs in spread out winners list". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ Jordan, Moreau (17 December 2021). "Competition winners announced at 65th BFI London Film Festival". British Film Institute. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ Jordan, Moreau (17 December 2021). "Competition winners announced at 65th BFI London Film Festival". British Film Institute. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ Jordan, Moreau (21 December 2021). "Paolo Sorrentino wins the International Spotlight Award in Middleburg". NewsCinecittà. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
- ^ Jordan, Moreau (17 December 2021). "Competition winners announced at 65th BFI London Film Festival". British Film Institute. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (11 January 2022). "'The Power of the Dog' leads Music City Film Critics nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
- ^ Jordan, Moreau (17 December 2021). "Newport Beach Film Festival Announces 2021 Award Winners". NewportBeachIndependent. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ Valero, Richard (24 January 2022). "'Dune Leads the North American Film Critic Association Nominations". [musiccitydrivein.com. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ Knollin, Scottie (10 January 2022). "'The Power of the Dog' Leads the 3rd NDFS Awards Nominees". [northdakotafilmsociety.org. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- ^ Jordan, Moreau (17 December 2021). "Palm Springs Film Festival Sets 2022 Lineup; Roger Michell's Final Film 'The Duke' To Close Fest". Deadline. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ Jordan, Moreau (19 December 2021). "Phoenix Critics Circle (PCC) winners: 'The Power of the Dog,' 'Licorice Pizza,' Mike Faist and more". Awardswatch. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ Jordan, Moreau (19 December 2021). "Belfast Wins Best Picture, Best Director in PFCS 2021 Awards". phoenixfilmcriticssociety.org. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ Ventura, Andrea (7 February 2022). "Årets ikke-engelsksprogede film". robertprisen.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (1 December 2021). "'Belfast,' 'The Power of the Dog' lead 26th Satellite Awards nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ Ventura, Andrea (10 January 2022). ""The Power of the Dog" Leads the 2021 Seattle Film Critics Society Nominations". seattlefilmcritics. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (17 January 2022). "'Nightmare Alley,' 'The Tragedy of Macbeth,' 'Cyrano' earn Set Decorators Society of America (SDSA) nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ Ventura, Andrea. "South African Online Film Critics Awards". southafricanonlinefilmcritics. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
- ^ Neglia, Matt (12 December 2021). "The 2021 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations". NextBestPicture. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- ^ Neglia, Matt. "Three Italian films at the Sydney Film Festival". NextBestPicture. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- ^ Neglia, Matt. "Three Italian films at the Sydney Film Festival". NextBestPicture. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- ^ Roxborough, Scott (9 November 2021). "'Titane', 'Hand of God' Among European Film Awards Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
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