La grande guerra del Salento

In collaboration with We Are Puglia, member of the United Pugliesi Federation

Screening
La grande guerra del Salento
(The Great Salento War)
Italy, 2022, 93 min.

In ITALIAN with ENGLISH subtitles

Directed by
Marco Pollini

Based on the novel La grande guerra del Salento by
Bruno Contini

Starring
Marco Leonardi, Paolo De Vita, Pino Ammendola, Uccio De Santis

Followed by a Q&A with
Bruno Contini, author of La grande guerra del Salento
Moderated by Eugenia Paulicelli, CUNY

In the aftermath of World War 2, while Italy is recovering from its losses, another war breaks out in the southern Apulian region of Salento between the citizens of two small villages, Supersano and Ruffano. What ignites it is a lust for power, megalomania, human folly and… a soccer match. The rivalry between the Supersano and Ruffano soccer teams sets the scene for the rivalry between two men: Ernesto – a farmer and president of the Supersano team – and Alfredo – a retired Fascist general and president of the Ruffano Calcio team. Another story takes place in the background: the love affair between Giulio and Agnese and their friendship with another couple, Giovanna and Antonio. The latter became the first soccer fan in Italian history to lose his life because of a match.