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ITALO BAROCCO
SYNOPSIS
Based on a true story, Italo Barocco vividly depicts the life-altering
friendship between an extraordinary dog and a lonely child. One day,
a good natured stray dog by the name of Italo, wanders into the small
Sicilian town of Scicli where stray dogs are thrown into pounds.
Italo's arrival causes a terrible uproar because everyone in the
village is fiercely opposed to having stray dogs around!
Everyone... except Meno, a precociously wise 10 year-old, who is as
lonely and introverted as can be. Since his mother passed away, Meno
has shut everyone out, including his workaholic father. It will take all
the unconditional love a special dog like Italo can give, to force Meno
out of his shell, leading him into a series of adventures that will teach
him the difference between acting like a grown up and actually
becoming one.
Director: Alessia Scarso
Cast: Marco Bocci, Barbara Tabita, Elena Radonicich, Vincenzo
Lauretta
Country: Italy
Running Time: 100 min.
Year: 2014
Genre: Comedy
FILM ANALYSIS
In 2009, in the wake of an unfortunate incident involving a pack of stray dogs and a small
child, the town of Scicli decided that all the stray dogs had to be removed from the streets. It
was just at this time that this honey-colored mongrel came to Scicli. Some people thought the
dog was left alone after the death of his elderly owner, while others believed it abandoned by
a homeless man. But Italo never told his story to anyone.
Strangely enough, at the time of Italo's arrival
to town, the town's paranoia with stray dogs
began to fade away. Italo chose Via Mormina
Penna, a UNESCO heritage site since 2002, as
his new home because he was sure to find food
from nearby restaurants. Practically a human
on all fours, Italo became the town mascot: he went to mass, weddings and funerals; ate pizza
at a local pizzeria; attended all of Scicli’s religious festivals; and served as a guide for tourists
showing them to the local monuments. Italo was also a brave dog and one night saved a young
girl walking along a street. She was attacked by a thief and Italo jumped on the man and chased him off.
Italo became extremely good friends with Carmelo, nicknamed Meno, a motherless boy who kept to himself and who did not have a good
relationship with his father, Antonio. Italo "understood" the problem and found a way to reconnect the two. Meno was in love with Chiara, a
schoolmate but was too shy to tell her and even there, Italo intervened.
Italo, Italo, Italo everywhere!
Who was Italo? What was Italo? The reincarnation of someone who loved Scicli, say
the town's people. Italo's life in Scicli has been recorded, photographed and filmed.
If Italo had never existed, he would have certainly been born from the imagination of
screenwriter. Since he really existed, it was inevitable that he would be the star of a
movie. It was a story waiting to be told. The film adaptation of Italo not only tells the
life of this extraordinary "character" but involves a multiplicity of intrigues in the lives
of the inhabitants of a small community centred around Italo. The movie is intended as
comedy, but at the same time, a touching human story. Starring alongside Italo, are
three children and three adults, portrayed against a Sicilian background full of colour and tradition.
a
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As per the director Alessia Scarso:
Sicily is well known as the land of contradictions, exposed to invasions by foreigners, who both
conquered it and enriched it. Italo Barocco presents a picture of how Sicily confronts the issue
of dealing with strangers from a novel perspective. It tells the story of how Sicily succeeds in
accepting diversity once the barriers of prejudice and initial diffidence are overcome- even if in
this case is a lovable, benevolent stray dog. Against this historic background, we find the
inabitants of Scicli and how they carry on their lives. Typical personalities who give a strong
identity to the small community in which the story takes place, like the mayor, the teacher, the
town councillor, the gossips, the old men who sit in the town square, all personalities taken
from the reality of everyday life whose idiosyncrasies add colour and authenticity to the story.
Sicily has a reputation for guardedness and this film wants to show its sincerity, the witty
authenticity of its people, mitigating through native humour its apparent contradictions and
presenting them with an interweaving of realism and fantasy.
Italo passed away on January 31, 2011, leaving a great void in Scicli.
THEMES
The themes and the starting point for discussion offered by the movie are the following:
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relationship between father and son
friendship between man and dog
treatment of stray dogs
dogs as therapy for loneliness
dogs' intelligence
bullying
love
diverisity and prejudice
being accepted for who you are
growing up
Sicily, its people and traditions
RECOMMENDED AGES
The movie deals with the relationship of a dog with a boy named Meno and his influence on the people of the town of Scicli, Sicily. For its
light-heartedness and positive message, the movie is recommended for everyone Grades 3-12
TEACHER RESOURCES
Film featuring dogs
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The 101 Dalmatians
Hachiko
My Dog Skip
Marley and Me
Article from IL GIORNALE- Ecco il film dedicato a Italo un vero «cane gentiluomo>>
http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/interni/ecco-film-dedicato-italo-vero-cane-gentiluomo-937390.html
TOPICS FOR REFLECTION
1. Describe the relationship between Meno and his father Antonio.
2. When and how did Italo and Meno meet each other and why did they become friends?
3. When Italo arrived in Scicli, he was just a stray dog. Explain how he made himself accepted in the community of Scicli.
4. Meno lives in solitude; his mother passed away and his father seems not to understand him. When and how did Italo allow father and
son to rediscover each other?
5. Antonio is fascinated by Laura, Meno's school teacher. Why does the community not accept her?
6. Meno likes his classmate Chiara, but he is too shy to tell her. How does Italo intervene in this matter?
7. Italo is accepted by everyone is town; he acts like a traffic police officer and he even goes to church. Why does the town priest try to
keep him away?
8. How does Italo behave with tourists?
9. How does Italo behave at the funeral of a young man who died in an accident?
10. Describe the personality and character of Luisa Nigro, the city counsellor and mayoral candidate.
11. How does Italo make Meno understand that his loneliness is over?
12. Have you had any personal experiences with stray dogs? Explain.
13. What lessons did Italo leave behind for Meno, Antonio, Laura, the priest, the town's people?
14. Have you experienced the difficulty of being accepted in a new community? If so, how did you try to fit in?
15. Did you like the ending of the movie or would you have preferred a different ending? Explain.
LINKS TO THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM (Based on the Grade 5 curriculum but applicable to most grades)
LANGUAGE ARTS
MEDIA LITERACY
1. demonstrate an understanding of 2. identify some media forms and
a variety of media texts
explain how the conventions and
• Purpose and Audience 1.1 techniques associated with them
are used to create meaning
• Making
• Form 2.1
Inferences/Interpreting
• Conventions and
Messages 1.2
Techniques 2.2
• Responding to and
Evaluating Texts 1.3
• Audience Responses 1.4
• Point of View 1.5
3. create a variety of media texts
for different purposes and
audiences, using appropriate
forms, conventions, and
techniques;
• Purpose and Audience 3.1
• Form 3.2
• Conventions and
Techniques 3.3
• Producing Media Texts 3.4
4. reflect on and identify their
strengths as media interpreters and
creators, areas for improvement,
and the strategies they found most
helpful in understanding and
creating media texts.
• Metacognition 4.1
• Interconnected Skills 4.2
ORAL COMMUNICATION
1. listen in order to understand and respond appropriately in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes
• Demonstrating Understanding 1.4
• Extending Understanding 1.6
FULLY ALIVE/FAMILY LIFE PROGRAM
THEME TWO: Living In Relationship Grades 4/5/6
THEME FOUR: Growing in Commitment Grade 7
THEME TWO: Living in Relationship Grade 8
ITALO BAROCCO is a story about a friendship between a stray dog and a lonely young
boy. Since this film deals with a homeless animal, it presents itself as a perfect
opportunity to help other stray animals in need.
ICFF Junior would like to encourage all the schools attending the screening of ITALO
BAROCCO to organize a fund-raising initiative with your class, where all proceeds go to
the Toronto Humane Society to help care for the animals just like the one in ITALO
BAROCCO. Not only will students be made aware of the needs of our community but it
will help students understand the benefits of philanthropy and how we can work together to
help different aspects of our society.
Representatives from the Toronto Humane Society will be at each screening to accept
monies raised on their behalf. The students will know that their donations are accepted
and appreciated and they will be shown how their contributions will be utilized.
Those that participate in the fundraising will be given a special treat as a thank you for
their efforts courtesy of FERRERO. For details contact us at [email protected]