Cinema
The Tree of Wooden Clogs
L'albero degli zoccoli
Ermanno Olmi · 1978
Synopsis
The end of the nineteenth century, in the countryside of Bergamo. Four peasant families live on the same farm and work the land of a single owner. Their days follow the cycle of the seasons, sowing, animals, evening gatherings, weddings and births. At the Batistis', the priest has noticed the little boy's intelligence and arranges for him to be sent to school, in a neighbouring town.
Context
The director wrote, photographed and edited the film himself; it was produced by Italian public television. The roles are played not by actors but by peasants from the region, who speak their Bergamasque dialect. Shooting lasted about a year, in a cascina, an old farm in the province of Bergamo that still bore the mark of the nineteenth century. In France it received the César for best foreign film.
Who it is for
About three hours, in the Bergamo dialect. A slow chronicle of work and days, without a tight plot.
Prizes and reception
Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1978; restored, it was reissued on DVD in France in 2017 by Carlotta Films.
Sources for this page 4
The pages consulted to check this page.