BRANCO

Italy, 1994, 95 minutes, Colour.
Luca Zingaretti, Giorgio Tirabassi.
Directed by Marco Risi.

Il Branco means the pack, literally wolf pack in Italian.

This is a very strong film and not for every audience. It is based on a true story. It shows several German girls travelling in Italy who are abducted by a gang. They are raped and beaten to death.

The film focuses on the ruthless members of the gang – and their social cohesion, the single identity of the group, their individuals being absorbed by the group and its violent and brutal ethos. The film explores the psychology of the group and their vicious actions. It is a jolting experience – both for men and women in the audience but each in a different way depending on their identification with the characters and the experiences.

The director is the son of celebrated Italian director Dino Risi. However, his films are not known outside Europe.

1.The impact for Italian audiences? Worldwide audiences? The picture of youth, idle youth, sex and violence, the clashes of the sexes?

2.Italian locations, the Italian town, life in the town? Homes, the piazza, work, the roads around the town, the house and the woods, the church? The realistic style of the film? Musical score?

3.The title and its focus? Male-female relationships? Chauvinism, power, abuse? The impact of the group? Impact of individuals - but individuals within the group? Questions of conscience, morality and law?

4.Raniero and his age, carabiniere? The girl and Mass? The bike, dinner, the angry father, the uncle with his hopes? The gang, riding on the bikes, the bar, the games? The possibilities for Raniero? Identity, work, male - and the sexual feedback?

5.Dryballs and Fat, playing, taunting, macho attitudes, louts? The others in the gang?

6.The situation of the girls, German language, the virgin, the car, going away, the rape? The motivations of the men, callous? The repercussions for the girls? Raniero with the girl in the car, the sex and the protection? His being confused, disgust? The fiancee and her concern?

7.The girl and her being humiliated and abused, the language difficulty, the violence and the rape? Raniero's reaction, Fat going? The indecision? The other girl running and being caught? Her submission, the horror for Raniero?

8.The suggestion about the men, Raniero going, seeing the dance, the fiancee and the priest? Talking things over? Macho stances, going back? His disgust, the men and the girl being dead? Escape?

9.The atmosphere of confusion, the men and their decisions, dealing with the body, the sack and throwing it away?

10.The search: Raniero and the bike, the forest, the train and being accused? His memories, fiancee, work as a carabiniere, the church and the image of the Virgin Mary? To die or not?

11.The arrest, the taking of the others, his fiancee in the bus?

12.Italian realism? The point for Italian society? Rape and violence, responsibility? Relationships between male and female in the '90s?