This film is based on a true story
Come on, this way!
Come get me! Come on!
Can I play, too?
Okay, but you're 'it'.
Give him the blindfold.
Come on, over here!
Chicken!
Watch out!
Get out of the way!
- Watch out!
- Come on, Mirco!
Let me see.
Try and catch me!
Gotcha!
TUSCANY, SUMMER 1970
Gaetano! Here.
The leftover papers.
I'll give the money to Silvana.
Thanks, Achille. See you tomorrow.
- Let's go.
- Dad, listen.
If people can come in here
and read the paper for free,
...why should they buy one?
- It's more convenient.
At home, you can read it when you want.
On the sofa, at lunch.
Why don't we buy a television?
It's like the newspaper.
You take the cinema home
and watch movies when you want.
- Who's going to put up the money?
- You! With your truck.
Sure! Just like that!
Please! Everybody's got one.
All right, we'll put some money aside
and get one, too.
Can we play the dream game?
This is Vittorio Bonini
live from the Quirinal Hill,
where the President of the Republic
Giuseppe Saragat,
is meeting with Emilio Colombo
to charge him with forming...
Now you broke it, be careful!
- It's always the same story.
- I'll glue it later.
Just like your toy train.
It's been a year,
and there are still pieces all over.
Let him do it!
That way, he'll learn
how things are made.
Here, Mirco.
Screws, screwdriver...
Fix the pot for your mom.
It's about time.
Dad, it's late.
For what?
You said you'd take me.
I don't want to sit in the last row.
All right.
Come on! Hurry up!
Dad!
He took a shot at the Mexican.
- Who's first?
- You start!
Go on!
No! On the first shot!
I'll go glue it
I'll be right back.
Hurry, okay?
- Who starts?
- I do...
Cool!
Mirco!
RED LIKE THE SKY
All done! Good boy, Mirco,
we're all done.
Go wait in there
while I talk with your dad.
We'll be through in a minute.
Take your jacket and glasses.
Put them on!
Wait over there.
Mr. Balleri, what can I tell you?
As I understand it,
Mirco was lucky.
If he'd been shot full in the face,
he wouldn't be alive.
Yeah, at the hospital in Pisa
they couldn't believe it.
I had you come in because...
I can't send Mirco
back to school.
Why not? He hasn't got
an infectious disease.
It was only an accident.
He's better now, he's doing fine.
Your son can only see
shadows, now.
Didn't they tell you, at Pisa...
He'll improve... with treatment...
I realize he'll have to catch up.
But he's always been a good student.
If you won't take him,
where will I send him?
Mr. Balleri,
I know this isn't easy for you.
It's not up to us,
it's the law.
He can't attend a regular school,
it's against the law.
He needs to go to a school
for children like himself.
We'll have to find
an appropriate institution,
and I can suggest
the one I consider the best.
- Cassoni Institute.
- Where exactly is it?
- In Genoa.
- In Genoa?
- That's so far away.
- It's a boarding school.
It's run by a religious order.
You can visit him every month.
But Mirco's only ten.
He needs me, he needs his mom,
more than when he was a baby.
How can we send him off to school
in Genoa, where he doesn't know...
It's not up to us. It's the law.
Pass it to me!
Over here!
- Mirco, come play with us!
- No, I don't want to.
I'm tired.
Okay. Come on, keep going!
Come on, hurry!
This way.
The director is waiting.
You've made the right choice.
He'll learn a trade
suited to his abilities.
He can be a weaver,
or a switchboard operator.
Yes. The important thing is,
now he can finish grade school.
As far as figuring out
what he wants to do.
Well... there's time.
The problem is not what he wants
to do, but what he's able to do.
I'm convinced that
if he gets treatment...
If Mirco can get better, he will.
The most important thing is
for you to accept what has happened.
Otherwise, you can't help him.
All right, I think we're finished.
Mirco doesn't like vegetables.
You have to coax him to eat them.
And he likes a light on,
on his night table,
because he's afraid of the dark.
Even now.
A night light won't bother
the other children,
will it?
Here you go, here's your place.
Attention!
Starting today,
we have a new boy.
His name is Mirco Balleri.
I'm sure you'll make him
feel welcome right away.
And we'll give Mirco
his own little bag.
It's empty now, but every time
he does a good deed,
we'll add a kernel of corn.
When it's full,
you'll get a special prize.
We thank Thee, O Lord...
Hi, I'm Felice.
That's a name?
You kidding?
Yeah, that's my name: Felice!
Where are you from?
Pontedera, near Pisa.
In the name of the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
What are you doing?
Nothing. I just want to know
what you look like.
Leave me alone.
Hey, up Juventus!
- Who's down there?
- It's Mirco. Who're you?
Hi, Mirco! It's Felice!
Where are you?
Up in the tree, come on up!
The gardener's ladder
is down there.
- What are you doing up here?
- Relaxing.
And hiding from the meanest
of the mean kids. His name's Valerio.
- How come?
- Because he's a bully.
Why don't you fight back?
How? The whole class
does whatever he says.
If they catch me, they'll beat me up!
Listen...
what do kids do here?
Nothing special...
eat, study, sleep.
Oh, yeah! I almost forgot!
We get to go on a trip once a year,
and visit a sanctuary.
Hey, Mirco... can you see?
- Oh, yeah.
- Oh!
- How long have you been like this?
- Since I was born.
- What are colors like?
- They're great!
What's your favorite?
Blue.
- What's it like?
- Blue is like riding a bike...
when the wind hits you in the face.
Or... like the sea.
And brown... feel this.
It's like the bark on this tree.
Feel how rough it is?
It's really rough!
- And red?
- Red...
is like fire.
Like the sky at sunset.
Listen to them! Talking about colors,
like a couple of girls!
What's pink like?
What's red like?
- Are you guys in love?
- Come down, or I'll take the ladder.
- Just ignore them!
- No, let's get down!
Move it!
Hurry up, fatso!
Stupid!
Out of the way!
- Let's make them eat a snail.
- Leave me alone!
Shut up, or I'll hit you!
I told you he'd beat you up!
Show him who's boss!
Stop that! What's going on!
Get up! Well?
- What happened?
- He started it.
- That's not true!
- Off to a good start!
You should both be ashamed!
Shake hands and make up!
I said to make up!
Don't ever let me see you
doing this again!
- I'll make you pay for this!
- Fuck you!
We don't use bad words here.
I'm only going to say it once!
Now, line up!
Recreation is over!
Everybody inside! Line up!
You, too!
Balleri...
go to your room!
He realized there wasn't enough
for everyone.
He took the loaves and fishes and
looking up at heaven, blessed them.
The bread, He gave His disciples.
His disciples gave it to the crowd,
and everyone ate...
Cool!
Make sure they're all tucked in.
All right...
where did we leave off yesterday...
Deep in hell,
the devils curse,
and howl and shriek.
The damned suffer awful punishments
for the sins they have committed..."
Fuck you!
- Come in!
- Good morning, everyone!
On your feet, boys!
This is Mirco Balleri.
He arrived yesterday. He's from Pisa.
He was in fourth grade there.
He missed the first few months
and he's very far behind.
The director said to put him
in the first row, and help him along.
All right.
His name's Mirco?
I'm right here.
- Sorry to interrupt.
- No problem.
Boys, make room for Mirco.
Valerio, Davide, Andrea, Eugenio.
Move back one row, one back.
One desk back.
Slowly.
Feel the chair, here.
All right... let's get back
to our lesson.
We were talking about geography.
Let's pick up where we left off.
The Earth is a sphere, suspended
in space, with a pole at each end.
It rotates around itself,
which creates day and night.
Its revolution around...
Felice, pay attention!
... creates the four seasons.
Every season lasts three months.
All right. Now, write it down.
The Earth is a sphere
suspended in space
with a pole at each end.
Now...
This is the tablet, feel it?
This is the punch.
Now... feel these spaces?
All right... this is how you write.
You make a hole for each letter.
For example, 'A' is a hole
on the upper right.
Now you try.
Not like that!
What happened?
Nothing happened.
A tablet fell on the floor.
Let's get back to work.
We'll just pick it up
and put it back where it belongs.
Anyway,
I put some things on your desks.
Pine cones and branches,
some chestnuts.
Dried fruit.
Touch them.
Feel what pine needles are like,
how strange they are...
These needles have to survive
the winter, the snow...
pass them around.
This afternoon, I want you
to write an essay on the seasons.
Describe what happens
when we pass
from one season to another.
What things change, in the country,
in the city, in human life.
So, Mirco.
Aren't you interested in doing
what your classmates are doing?
I don't need to.
I can see.
I can see, too.
It's not enough.
When you see a flower,
don't you want to smell it?
Or when it snows,
don't you want to walk in it?
To touch it, watch it melt
in your hands?
I'll tell you a secret,
something I noticed
watching musicians play.
They close their eyes.
You know why?
To feel the music
more intensely.
Because the music transforms,
the notes gets bigger, more intense.
It's as if music was
a physical sensation.
You have five senses, Mirco.
Why use only one of them?
Did you hear that?
RAI Italian Radio and Television
presents
"The Adventures of Moby Dick"
a program based on the book
by Herman Melville.
Adaptation by Armando Nicoloci.
Directed by Lorenzo Rossi.
Episode Three.
One morning, Captain Ahab
ordered the whole crew
to assemble on the bridge.
Some of you have already heard
of the white whale.
Now, take a good look at this
Spanish doubloon.
It's worth 16 dollars.
Mr. Tambar!
Give me that hammer.
Now pay close attention.
The first one of you to show me
a whale with a white head
and three holes in its tail
will have this ounce of gold.
Francesca, what are you doing?
Nothing, just looking out.
Leave them alone.
Go do your homework.
And turn that off!
- What do you want, dimwit!
- What are you doing, you dope?
- That's my business.
- Why don't you eat that cookie?
It's a sacrifice, so the sister
will give me a kernel of corn.
Here, take this!
- What is it?
- A candy.
Give that to the sister, too,
and you'll get another kernel.
- Can you really see?
- Yeah.
- How much.
- A bit.
Go to the end of the wall,
go down the stairs,
go to the rusty door
and wait for me.
Wait, I'm coming.
This way.
In here.
- What is this place?
- I think it's...
the place where the nuns throw
the stuff they don't need anymore.
- Why'd you bring me here?
- To show you my bicycle.
Come on, I'll show it to you.
Here it is!
But I can't use it.
It's broken.
My mom told me
that when I go to middle school
she'll get me a bigger one.
I was thinking, maybe the candy
is big enough for the sacrifice.
If you give her the cookie, too,
maybe...
she'll only give you one kernel.
Nothing's wrong with this.
The chain just fell off.
- Will you help me turn it over?
- Sure.
That was a neat story I heard before.
Do you have a television?
No, it's a radio.
Want to know the rest of the story?
Let me finish this.
All set, let's go for a ride.
Are you crazy?
You'll get in big trouble.
One time,
this kid wet the bed
and they made him sleep
in the same sheets for 10 days.
- Who told you that?
- My mom. It really stank!
Another time,
a kid spit in church.
They made him stand in there
and pray all night.
The nuns don't scare me.
Come on, let's go for a ride.
- Are you serious?
- Yeah, what are you waiting for?
He's nuts!
What're you doing, aren't you coming?
What was that for?
- To keep us from getting caught.
- Don't be silly!
There's a hole in the fence here.
But nobody knows.
- A secret passage!
- Yeah.
This place is cool!
- There's lots of stuff, isn't there?
- Yeah.
- You know there's a cinema nearby?
- Really?
My mom never takes me.
She says it's a waste of money.
Hop on, and we'll go.
- You sure?
- Yeah!
All right, but go slow.
Come on, hop on the seat.
- Want to go to the cinema?
- Yeah, but...
All right!
But the minute something goes wrong
I'm steering.
Slow, okay? Go slow.
- Cinema, here I come!
- Slow down!
Slow down! Stairs!
It's downhill, go slow!
- How long is it?
- Really long!
Careful! Help!
Watch out for the people!
Right! No, left!
- Why do you live at the school?
- My mom's the caretaker.
She does the cleaning.
The train!
She doesn't want me to play with you.
- Why not?
- Because you're boys, and blind.
The nuns told her if they see me
playing with you kids
they'll fire her.
But you know something?
I'm not scared of the nuns.
I'm scared of the director.
That man with the dark glasses.
He looks like a bat, all in black.
He looks like a monster.
Are you nuts?
He's just a poor old blind guy.
It's really steep!
Help! Slow down!
- Are you hurt?
- No. Are you?
A little.
I'm sorry. It was all my fault.
Oh, it's no big deal.
The cinema's right here.
What's the film?
The Clan of the Two Borsalini
I've already seen it.
It's really funny!
Franco is 35 years old
and he's still in first grade.
- You know why?
- Why?
He found a hole in the wall
that goes into a jewelry store
and he convinces the teacher
to break in with him.
But they get arrested.
It says, "Coming Soon",
maybe we can come see it.
Yeah, I'll take you.
Let's go.
- What's that sound?
- I don't know.
The street's full of people!
So many people!
It's a demonstration.
Hey kids, be careful!
- Who are you with?
- We're by ourselves.
Ettore!
There are some kids here.
I think one of them is blind.
They're right in front of us.
Who are you?
I'm the daughter of the caretaker
at Cassoni.
But, who are you?
My name's Ettore. What's yours?
Mirco.
- How come you two are here?
- We're playing hooky.
Good for you.
Smart kids!
You could tell?
Let's get you out of this mess.
Come with me.
- Where?
- Back where you came from.
- Want me to come, too?
- No, don't bother. I'm fine.
You coming?
This way.
Let me turn the bike.
Are you really blind?
No, I just pretend
when I'm crossing the street.
Didn't your parents
send you to the Institute?
How do you think I know the way?
I was there for 10 years.
- And you never ran away?
- Nope.
I grew up, came of age
and then I left.
So much for your director!
What do you do now?
I do what I want.
I study at the University
and I'm a switchboard operator
at the blast furnace.
Aren't you scared? My mom says
there's a terrible fire inside
that burns all day long.
I don't have to see it, like you.
I can imagine it the way I want.
What's it like?
What's it like...
It's very high, and wide,
and colorful.
Like a bakery that only makes
pastries for greedy children.
You've got quite an imagination!
Tell me where we are now.
Via del Pastorino.
Okay. You have to turn right,
go up the hill, then
go straight ahead and you're home.
Okay. Bye, Ettore!
Next time you run away,
come and see me!
- Where?
- At the blast furnace.
Okay! See you later!
- Ettore's nice, isn't he?
- Yeah, he is.
He sounds just like that actor
I always hear on the radio.
By the way, you know I'm going to
make a recording, too?
- About what?
- I can't tell you, it's a surprise.
- But I'll let you hear it.
- Swear.
- Ok, I swear!
- Careful with the bike!
MIRCO
Where are you?
Shut up, you'll scare away
the birds!
The birds?
Have you gone crazy?
Listen, you have to help me.
Do what?
I want to do research on the seasons.
But with the tape recorder,
and there's only one reel.
- So?
- We have to find some others.
- Where will we get them?
- In the teachers' room.
The "talking books".
But we can't do that...
And besides, I like
some of the stories.
Then we'll take the Gospel tapes.
Nobody listens to those.
You're definitely going to
get me in trouble!
- Felice!
- What?
What do we do now?
They're leaving, I can tell.
Come on, let's go.
Shut up!
Come on, hurry up!
Wait a minute.
- Where are you?
- Right here.
Felice!
Turn it higher!
Turn it off!
I'm getting wet!
Turn it off!
Research?
What research?
- About jobs.
- So?
He said to start with yours.
If Don Giulio says so,
but be careful not to get hurt.
And don't get in the way,
because we've got work to do.
Take a look around.
Great!
Listen to this.
- Did you hear that?
- What's it supposed to be?
The wind, right?
You should've told me before!
I know how to do the wind,
I hear it all the time!
Hear that?
What about bees?
We can't do bees,
we'd need a real hive.
I got it!
We'll do them with our lips.
Right! And I can do bumble-bees.
Listen...
Wait, stop.
This story is dedicated to you.
The title is: "The rain is over,
here comes the sun."
Was this your research
on the seasons, Balleri?
Good.
Explain to us, Mirco.
What do all these sounds
and noises mean to you?
It's nature, her voice.
Ah, of course!
Why were you the only one who knew?
And who authorized you
to take the school tape recorder
and ruin tapes that belong
to everyone, just for fun?
Your teacher gave you an assignment.
Why didn't you do it,
as he asked?
Don Giulio...
Stand up!
Keep me informed
of his behavior
Boy, you sure are smart,
wise guy.
Please do it again
so they'll send you back home.
I liked it, though.
Because you're a retard,
like him.
Sit down, boys.
What are you doing?
It doesn't work.
The bulb is burned out.
Shall I leave you this?
In case you get hungry later?
You can't go on like this,
you need to eat.
Remember that
God loves you.
If He loved me, He wouldn't have
let me play with that rifle.
Let's bring him home.
He needs his mother and father.
We'll get a private teacher.
Oh, yes, how will you pay him?
- How will you pay him?
- Teresa!
Oh, Holy Mother!
Where can he have gone?
I have something for him...
Maybe I'll just leave him a note.
Yes... all right.
Here we go.
Dear Mirco, this is your teacher.
I'm writing in the name
of your classmates, too.
We all miss you very much.
And about your research
on nature...
it really wasn't that bad.
Even if it was a bit strange.
Maybe we judged it
a bit too hastily.
So, your teacher
brought you something
that might come in handy.
But don't show it to anyone.
It's our secret.
But Mirco hasn't learned Braille.
He doesn't want to learn it.
So he won't find this.
I guess I'll take it away with me.
- Shall I take it away?
- No.
But I'd really like Mirco
to learn Braille.
So he can read my messages.
- Will he learn Braille?
- Yes.
Good.
It sure is cold in here!
I wonder how anyone
can lie on the floor.
- Is everything okay?
- Yeah.
You're still my little boy.
Understand?
- Listen, mom?
- Yes?
- Do the kids at home remember me?
- Of course they do.
They stop us in the street.
They ask your dad and me:
"When is Mirco coming back?"
And we tell them you're coming
for summer vacation.
I don't know
if I want to see them again.
I want to be with you
and Dad the whole time.
Francesca, now we can record
all the sounds we can think of.
Then we'll make a really neat story.
Do you know a story?
Well...
Ok, go.
Once upon a time there was a Princess
who had 15 brothers.
One day, their father the King died.
The Queen called in the children
and told them:
I don't want you, you're not mine.
Go away and never come back!
Wait a second.
All right...
Go!
The children began walking
through a big forest.
They walked... and walked...
It seemed like the forest
was endless.
Suddenly, night fell.
The children were cold and hungry,
but worst of all,
there were mysterious,
scary sounds in the darkness.
At last,
they came to a castle.
It was very big and gloomy.
The doors opened
and a huge drawbridge came down.
F, G, A.
Do you understand?
Yes.
- Who wants to go first?
- I do.
Mirco, do you want to try?
Come on, hurry up.
One at a time.
You'll all take turns.
Sit here. Careful.
What are you doing?
Stop it.
Quiet! Don't you understand?
That's contemporary music.
Go sit down.
- I can play like that, too.
- Who's next?
Me!
But the Princess was sad,
because the Dragon
had imprisoned her in a tower.
She wept every day, saying:
"Brothers, help me!
Come and save me!
I miss you so much!"
- No. That's no good.
- Why not?
You can tell it's the same voice.
You can't be the Princess
and the Narrator, too.
It would be better
if we had more voices, and music.
That's impossible. It's too hard.
We'll never be able to do it.
All right, children.
Today we begin rehearsals
for the annual school play
we perform for your parents.
You children won't all
get a poem to learn
because there are too many of you.
The theme this year
is the Marian month.
The first names I've chosen
are: Barcelona, Barbieri...
Costa, Lunardi, Farina
and Giordano.
The boys I've called
should come up to the stage now...
- Why didn't he call us?
- Good thing. No rehearsals!
But we won't be in the show.
Then we'll do our own show.
But our parents won't get to see it.
But ours will be better!
We'll use the stuff we like.
Have you two finished
chatting back there?
Now twist! Faster, go!
Come on!
- When do we start?
- Today. In the storeroom.
- What are you doing?
- A really neat show!
With a lot of battles
where everybody kills each other.
- Can I be in it, too?
- I don't know.
We'll see.
It depends on what you can do.
I can do anything!
Can I be in it, too?
Arms up, quickly.
Clap your hands.
One, two...
Here we are.
- It's so dusty in here!
- Hi!
- Who's that?
- A friend of mine, Francesca.
- What?
- No!
The caretaker's daughter!
You must be nuts.
- She's bad luck!
- What do you mean?
You see?
I told you so.
- She made up the story.
- All right.
What do I say?
What do I do?
You're the Prince.
She's the Princess, your sister.
- What does the Prince do?
- I'll explain later.
- What do we do?
- I want to be a Prince, too!
- Will there be battles?
- Yes, but later on.
- When?
- Let's get started.
You have to do the stepmother.
What?
Are you crazy?
I don't want to do the stepmother.
She's a woman.
- It's only two lines!
- Have Francesca do them.
She's already doing the Princess.
So, you two are
running around again, huh?
- What are you doing here?
- We're recording.
We need some scary sounds.
Then you came to the right place.
Osvaldo, come with me.
Let's show these kids the steel mill.
A sea of lava surrounded by towers,
and Elisa, a prisoner,
wept every day.
Where are you, dear brothers,
I miss you so much.
Her brothers
were playing happily.
But one day, all of a sudden,
they remembered their sister.
- It's been so long since we saw her.
- Where can she be?
But every time they asked the Dragon,
he became so big and horrible
that they ran away, terrified.
- Fantastic!
- It turned out good, didn't it?
But where did you find the Dragon?
Oh, come on! It's not a real dragon.
You dope!
But when it roared, I thought it was.
You thought it was!
It's all fake, it's not real!
- I wasn't scared a bit.
- I was!
Do you have a part for me, too?
It's a long fairytale,
it's got lots of other characters.
What other characters!
You'll break it!
And it's not stupid!
If you two do this
I'm telling the nuns.
No, don't do it!
You're not supposed to do this.
- Who said?
- The director.
- The nuns!
- Run!
Run!
Quiet! Time to go to sleep!
Go on!
- We still have to do the battle.
- Great!
Great nothing, you idiot!
Are you a big deal because
your dad is rich?
Leave him alone.
- Is that you?
- We all came to do the fairytale.
I brought everybody, even Valerio.
I didn't say anything to the nuns
this time, but...
you better give me a good part.
These are the crickets.
These are the children's footsteps
when they run from the Dragon.
How did you do that?
Listen...
Cool! Can I touch them?
- Fantastic!
- Neat, aren't they?
Great!
How did you get the idea?
It's how they do it in films.
How many times
have you been to the cinema?
I don't know, maybe 50 times.
- I'd like to go to the cinema, too.
- But you don't understand anything.
So says Archimedes Pythagorus.
- What would we do there?
- Anybody can go to the cinema.
Even if they can't see.
You understand the film anyway
because there are sounds and words.
By the way, there's one
right out front.
- I saw it when we ran away.
- Cool!
How did you do that?
You're crazy!
Well, do you want to go?
- How old is your sister?
- Seventeen.
- Has she got tits?
- She's got melons this big!
- I don't believe it!
- It's true!
You better believe it!
I bet Felice touched them too much!
I would never dare touch
my sister's tits!
- What's your sister's name?
- Simona.
Come on, let's go!
Cool! Come on!
Let's go, come on!
Giulio, please.
Did you hear?
Concettina said, "Don Giulio"!
Oh, come on!
- She said, "No, Giulio!"
- No, "Don Giulio."
Concettina is in love
with Don Giulio.
Francesca, where are you?
I'm here.
- Is she coming?
- Yeah. Here she is.
Let's go.
Under the fence.
Be careful.
- I'm so scared!
- Of what?
- Of the dark!
- Right, of the dark...
Oh, cool!
Shut up or you'll wake the nuns.
Do you understand,
you'll wake the nuns?
Come on, get in line.
Valerio, don't be a jerk tonight.
Right!
- Are we there yet?
- It's here in front.
- Is it big?
- It must be huge, let's go!
- We have to buy tickets.
- Who's got some money?
- Are you there?
- Why do I have to pay for everybody?
Cough it up, cheapskate!
I'll pay this time,
but next time you're on your own.
- No, we're not!
- Yes, you are!
Seven tickets.
Are you by yourselves?
They're my cousins.
We didn't want to miss
the start of the film
and our parents
are still in the pizzeria.
If it's okay with them...
Thank you.
Find a seat.
Shut up!
Attention. Whoever can translate
this sentence, raise their hand.
I can.
- Franchetti, come up here.
- But I didn't raise my hand.
That's why I chose you.
- Where are they?
- In a classroom.
- Who are the characters?
- Ciccio and Franco.
Translate.
- Into what language?
- Franchetti, don't play the fool.
I'm not, I'm serious.
Into what language?
Really?
You mean you can translate into
a language other than Italian?
- What would that be?
- Turkish, with your permission.
What's happening?
Ciccio's trying to make him translate
a sentence in Latin
but Franco is so dumb
he doesn't understand anything.
What did you write?
- What does that mean in Italian?
- I only translate into Turkish.
- Quiet, everyone.
- Quiet!
You shut up!
- Now, translate this.
- Into Italian?
- Into Italian.
- How about Russian or Chinese?
Listen to the way that one laughs!
You know what, guys?
I heard a lady at the cinema saying
that next week there's going to be
a fantastic film!
It's called
"City of the Argonauts"!
No, it's not!
It's "City of the Astronauts"!
Don't be so fussy!
You guys, just remember something,
next time we come,
I'm not paying.
Miser!
- Hey, aren't you coming?
- Go on ahead, I'll catch up.
All right, let's go.
- They really had a good time.
- Yeah.
Listen, are you sure
your mother doesn't know?
Nothing wakes her up,
not even a cannon.
We forgot the tape recorder!
Let's go get it!
Careful!
- I can't see a thing!
- I'll lead you.
Touching a person's face you can tell
if they're beautiful or ugly.
You need to hear their voice, too.
- Why are you laughing?
- It tickles.
Now it's my turn.
- What is it?
- I feel shy.
Me, too.
Now that I'm your girlfriend,
will you ever leave me?
No.
Even if you meet other girls
when you grow up?
I don't want any other girls.
Let's go now.
After 3 years and 3,000 nights
Elisa, imprisoned in the castle,
was still waiting for her brothers.
What will become of me?
Will I be forced
to pine away in this castle
and die of sadness?
Is that the castle where
our sister is hidden?
Yes, and there is a Dragon
guarding the door.
- How will we ever get in?
- I'm afraid. I don't want to go in!
Me, neither! That Dragon
can shoot fire out of his eyes.
- But what can we do?
- I have an idea.
With eyes closed we can't see him.
- You're crazy!
- Maybe he's right.
It's true!
Even when we close our eyes
we know our way around.
Oh Lord, who gave
His only begotten Son to win,
with His death and resurrection...
All right.
What can we do at this point?
We could have
the little angel appear.
Felice could do it... Felice Cordero.
Is Felice here?
Boys, where is Felice?
Where is everyone?
Listen, Brothers!
The Dragon is coming.
We're not afraid,
in our blindfolds, we're invincible!
To arms!
Attack!
Save me!
What is going on here?
Have you all gone mad?
What are you doing here?
Aren't you ashamed?
- Look what they've stolen!
- The tape recorder!
What are you doing with this?
Who is responsible for this?
- Whose idea was this?
- Oh, no, sir!
We were just having fun
like the time we went to the cinema.
What cinema?
- Sister Santa, what cinema?
- I know nothing about this.
Here you are, you naughty girl!
Do you want to get me fired?
Is that what you want?
I'm sorry, sir, it's all my fault.
But it won't happen again.
It certainly is your fault!
- Take your daughter inside.
- I see...
that the boy responsible for this
has made you all forget
what it means to be honest.
I know quite well who it is.
He's not getting away with this.
This is Balleri's last day.
He's going home tomorrow.
That's all there is to it.
- What happened?
- Better not ask too many questions.
Let me have the best homework
later this morning,
to read to the parents.
I'm going home.
See you tomorrow.
See you.
In the castle, there was also
a terrible Witch,
the Dragon's assistant.
Beware. The flames of hell
will devour you
until your skin
falls from your flesh
and your very bones
turn to dust.
May! With your gown
embroidered with flowers
and your splendid blue mornings.
You perfume every path
and show us the way
through the darkest straits.
I brought you the best homework.
Next time you run away,
come and see me.
- Where?
- At the blast furnace!
- Sure!
- Bye, Ettore!
You may keep these.
Did you at least listen to them?
It's the end of the year.
I have no time to waste.
It's not a waste of time!
I know he gets carried away.
But he has his own way,
a unique way,
of looking at things,
discovering and telling about them.
He's completely different.
There's nothing wrong with that.
You do know that this school
is over 100 years old?
In all that time, life here
has gone very smoothly.
With no problems whatsoever.
And do you know why?
Because we have rules here.
To some people, they might seem
stupid and out-of-date.
But they permit these children
some kind of life outside
after they finish school.
These kids can't see, it's true.
But they're alive! They're full
of enthusiasm and imagination!
We aren't helping if we deny them
the freedom to express themselves.
- To hurt themselves?
- Why not? It's part of learning.
You spend time with them.
But I am one of them.
Freedom is a luxury that
we blind people cannot afford.
We, we... listen, I know what
your problem is.
You weren't in here as a child.
You could study and travel.
Why don't you want to give these kids
the same opportunities you had?
Because they don't have them!
They're blind!
- Maybe because you deny them.
- Are you finished?
I was the one
who gave Mirco the tape recorder.
Do you think I didn't know that?
That was very wrong. Anyway,
that doesnt justify his behavior.
One undisciplined boy may not
jeopardize the good of the others.
How's it going?
Okay.
- Are you glad you're going home?
- Yeah.
I listened to your tapes.
They're great.
I liked them a lot.
Listen, Mirco.
Listen.
You have something special inside.
Something unique,
that only you have,
that nobody else has got.
Promise me, when you leave here
you won't let anyone
take it away from you.
I really hope that
you'll be able to keep studying.
- Don Giulio?
- Yes?
You don't have to worry.
I didn't tell anyone that
you gave me the tape recorder.
Good morning, Don Giulio!
- Concettina?
- Yes?
Tell me something.
You've been here a long time.
What good is this school?
Who does it help?
We teach these children
to cane chairs, to obey us.
We boast
that we make good weavers
or switchboard operators out of them,
but you know what we really do?
We rob them of the best thing
they have at their age.
Their dreams.
I'm not educated.
I don't understand all this.
But if you don't like it
why don't you speak up?
I wish it was that easy, but...
I'm not the one in charge here,
there's a director.
I know, but if no one ever tells him
he won't know he's making a mistake.
If you're sure, do something.
Remember, it's important in life
to say what you really feel.
Even if someone else doesn't like it.
You don't want to have regrets.
DOWN WITH THE HEAD
OF THE CASSONI INSTITUTE
REFORM THE SCHOOL
UNITED IN STRUGGLE
WORKERS AND STUDENTS
Down with the head of Cassoni!
Down with the head of Cassoni!
Sir, excuse me.
The mayor's office
is calling.
The mayor wants to talk to you.
He sounds very angry.
What in the world do they want?
It seems all the students in the city
are on strike,
and there's a delegation of workers
from the steel mill.
What's it got to do with me?
They say that if we don't re-admit
the student who was expelled,
they'll close the blast furnace.
Mirco Balleri is staying.
I will take responsibility.
And I'm changing the show.
Don't get involved, Don Giulio.
What's the use?
What's the use of showing these kids
to their parents for a few hours
pretending that they're normal?
These kids are normal!
The parents know their children.
They know what they feel.
And if the kids do something good
do we have to negate it
because it wasn't our idea?
What are you talking about?
I'm taking care of the show
from now on.
My idea is better than yours.
I am still the director here.
Not for long.
Mirco, where are you?
Francesca, come down!
Look what I found!
Put those down, wait!
I'll take these, let go.
Sit down.
Don, these are the footsteps.
Kids, be careful.
There was stuff to hang over there.
What do we do with these?
Give them to me, I need them.
These were over there, would someone
please put them back?
Okay, I'll do it.
Kids, I'm counting on you
to do your very best, okay?
I wonder what my dad will say!
Now, let's try to be serious.
Welcome, everyone!
I wanted to tell you that
this year the kids and I
have decided
to do a different kind of show.
Sometimes we grownups ask ourselves
what's the right thing to do,
but we don't always know the answer.
Anyway, this time
we wanted to try something new.
Because we believe that imagination,
and the right to a normal life,
are things that nobody
should have to give up.
All we ask before we begin
is that you put on the blindfolds
you were given at the door.
Put them on now.
Don't be afraid.
Good. We're ready to start.
What I'm about to tell you now
is a story that happened
in another time and place.
Long, long ago, in the land of Awaka
there lived a Princess
and her 15 brothers.
One day, their father, the King,
passed away.
Their stepmother,
her hair all in a mess,
called the children and told them,
"I don't want you.
You're not mine."
"Go away. Leave my kingdom
and don't ever come back."
The children were cold and tired.
But worst of all, the forest
was full of mysterious sounds.
Everything frightened them.
His older brothers teased him.
Children can't fly,
they said.
But the littlest brother began
to try every day,
while the others were wondering
how to escape from the castle.
We could climb down a rope
from the window!
But what if the Dragon sees us
while we're escaping? He'd attack us.
How dare we face the Dragon
when just the sight of him
makes us freeze in our tracks?
The littlest brother got an idea.
Let's close our eyes.
That way, we can't see him.
Right! We know our way around here
perfectly well without looking.
If we wear blindfolds,
the Dragon can't scare us
with his terrible face.
To the attack!
Only the littlest brother
was unafraid.
He took Elisa by the hand
and opened the window of the tower.
- Come, Elisa, let's jump out.
- No, I can't! I'm afraid.
Give me your hand, come on!
The two jumped into space.
And were transformed
into beautiful seagulls.
Let's jump after them!
Did you see?
They can fly,
it wasn't impossible.
Come on!
They all decided to follow.
And one by one they, too,
were changed into white seagulls.
And that is how the 15 brothers
along with their sister
flew far, far away.
And they lived happily together
all the rest of their days!
In 1975, after years of pressure,
the Italian government approved a law
abolishing schools for the blind
and allowing blind students
to attend public schools.
Mirco left the school when he was 16.
Although he never recovered
his sight,
he became one of the most renowned
sound editors in Italian cinema.
- We're almost there aren't we, Dad?
- Yes, kiddo.
- Can I play?
- Hi, Mirco!
Yeah, but you're the last one in
so you have to be 'it'.
Come on, he's...
He's right. The rules are the rules,
I'm the last one in!
So, I'm 'it'.
One...
Two...
Gotcha!
You cheated!
It's not fair!
- You're too easy to catch!
- We missed you, Mirco!