DARKER THAN MIDNIGHT/ PIUI BUIO DI MEZZANOTTE

Italy, 2013, 94 minutes, Colour.
David Capone, Vincenzo Martino, Michaela Marazzotto.
Directed by Sebastien Riso.

Darker than Midnight is a story set in Catania. It opens with images of a searching young boy who puts lipstick on a glass. He leaves home and then wanders the streets of the city.

The action in the present concerns David, the 14-year-old, unsure about his sexuality, loved by his devoted mother, assaulted by his demanding father.

The picture of the streets of the city is certainly dark, focusing on a group of young men, some boys, who act as prostitutes, some transvestites like one who wants to be Marilyn Monroe, others who live in with their patrons. At first, David resists any sexual activity, rather observing and becoming friendly with the group. He joins in when they shoplift at the supermarket. He is offered some patronage, especially by a man in a white, who is keeping another young man. The streets are hard and the man who first befriended him is killed.

There are many flashbacks to his childhood, his relationship with his father, with his mother. His father’s brutality, especially when he examines the attic where David has papered the walls with posters and art and destroys it. He turns up several times to demand that David return home, once in a church where David is sitting with his grandmother.

Ultimately David falls on hard times, is hungry, dirty, but find some patronage and some serious sexual experiences.

It is hard to know where his life is leading because his father attempts to abduct him, bashes some of the men in the street, when David pulls his knife and attempts to kill himself.

At times, the film is drama, at other times it pauses for a lot of contemplation and reflection.

1. The title? The darkness of night? The darkness of David’s life on the streets? The darkness was of his life at home?

2. The Catania settings, home, attic, the streets, the world of the prostitutes, the dark alleys, darkness and daylight, the gardens? The church? The funeral? The musical score?

3. David story, the introduction to him, age 14, androgynous, in the attic, the walls, the lipstick on the class, his leaving home, his haversack?

4. David on the streets, meeting the various types, their behaviour, talk, the bonds? The clients? The police? The mute photographer and the records? Those offering David protection? His not being involved in sexual activity on the streets? Stealing the supermarkets? Present with the group? His going to the church, his grandmother and the embrace, his father demanding he come?

5. The types of the streets, the initial friend, with the white hair, going to the theatre, the being propositioned, the Marilyn Monroe type, tough, behaviour?

6. His going to hear the singer, his own singing, the delight, going to the caravan and wanting to go with the singer?

7. The flashbacks, his mother and her tenderness, fear of her husband? His fears? Her caressing his body? Going to the doctor, the measurements, the father and his assaulting his son? Smashing the attic?

8. David and his being desperate, the sexual encounters, the death of his friend, his grief at the funeral? At the shop and stealing? Begging in the supermarket, being ousted after his abuse? Looking in the garbage? Meeting his mother, the long whispering to her on the bus, his getting out of the bus?

9. The protector, his house, his explanations, singing, the sexual encounter, the long circular shop around the room, David and his washing, the other friend? Kate is a corner, not being picked up?

10. Going to the mute photographer, this into the record, the sadness of the photography hearing of the death and putting up the photo amongst many?

11. David’s father, pursuing him, fighting with the prostitutes, David getting the knife, attempting to kill himself?

12. At the hospital, the father protesting that he didn’t do it? David with a long look in the mirror and his screaming?