We Believed

The Italy we know from contemporary maps was born during the 19th century over the course of long decades of suffering. The nation, broken down into small kingdoms, was buffeted by opposing interests from the north and south, monarchists and republicans. Domenico, Angelo and Salvatore are three young men from Southern Italy. Their families were involved in the violently suppressed uprising against Bourbon monarchic rule, and thus the men decide whether to join the newly established Young Italy movement. This epic film depicts the events of the almost forty years during which modern Italy was born. Director and screenwriter Mario Martone portrays the turbulent history of his country through the individual destinies of three revolutionaries who choose to sacrifice their lives for the sake of a unified state. This historical fresco of the birth of a modern nation incorporates a cast of both Italian cinematic hopefuls and also well-known and internationally respected names. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)