CENTOCHIODI

Italy, 2007, 93 minutes, Colour.
Raz Degan.
Directed by Ermanno Olmi.

Olmi says this will be his last film. An interesting choice of themes, very Italian. A religious professor becomes disillusioned with cerebral knowledge and books and nails a hundred precious manuscripts to the library floor and then opts out to live life with the marginalised on the banks of the Po, becoming their spokesperson and saviour – and they call him, as one would, Jesus Christ.

This symbolic parable criticises the Church as well as God for all suffering and chooses the Gospel message of Jesus: living life and solidarity, being with and helping the poor. ‘Having a cup of coffee with a friend is worth more than all the books’. Idiosyncratically Italian and arresting.

1.The work of Olmi, a long career? Italian perspective? Themes? Human nature? Religion? Church?

2.The picture of central Italy, Bologna, the Po Valley, the river? The Italian countryside? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score? Religious overtones? Popular music?

3.The title, the irony of the crucifixion, the nails, nailing the books, nailing God’s Word to the floor?

4.The security guard, his work, his being upset, the sight of the books and the nails?

5.The monsignor, leaving the seminary, interacting with the guard, the president arriving on motorbike? The police, the books on the floor? The monsignor’s reaction? His love for the books?

6.The professor, his farewell to the students, leaving, driving into the countryside, becoming free, throwing his keys and other things into the river? His personality, appearance?

7.His opting out, finding the people, finding the building, going to the shop, the friendship with the girl, the young man? The work, the characters, becoming friends with them?

8.The happy life, utopia by the river, the girl and her story, being affirmed? The riverbanks, the picnic, people happy, going home on the boats?

9.The group, their dwelling on the land, their age, men and women, elderly?

10.The official and his arrival, the rules? The professor as the spokesperson?

11.The police, the arrest? The explanation about the books, the importance of one cup of coffee compared with all the books in the world?

12.The nails themselves, the flashback to the professor buying them? Seeing him hammer the books?

13.The talk with the monsignor, his attitude towards God, intellectual? His suffering? The professor, criticising God, criticising allowing human suffering? The monsignor’s reaction of blasphemy?

14.The professor disappearing, the people waiting, lighting the candles on the road for his return? His living on in their hearts?

15.The simplicity of the point about books and real life? The critique of the institution? The promotion of the Gospel message?