The Damned (2024 Minervini film)

Last updated
The Damned
Directed by Roberto Minervini
Screenplay byRoberto Minervini
Produced byPaolo Benzi
Denise Ping Lee
Roberto Minervini
Paolo Del Brocco
Starring
  • René W. Solomon
  • Jeremiah Knupp
  • Noah Carlson
  • Tim Carlson
CinematographyCarlos Alfonso Corral
Edited byMarie-Hélène Dozo
Music byCarlos Alfonso Corral
Production
companies
Release date
  • 16 May 2024 (2024-05-16)(Cannes)
Running time
88 minutes
Countries
  • Italy
  • United States
  • Belgium
LanguageEnglish

The Damned is a 2024 drama film written and directed by Roberto Minervini. Set in 1862 against the backdrop of the American Civil War, the film follows a group of volunteer Union soldiers. [1]

Contents

The film had its world premiere at the Un Certain Regard section of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, on 16 May 2024. Where it won the Best Director award. [2]

Premise

The Damned follows a group of volunteer Union soldiers as they patrol territory in the western United States. [3]

Plot

A group of Union volunteers, young men mostly, arriving in the desolate and harsh Western territories during the Civil War in 1862. They are not hardened soldiers, but rather a collection of individuals with varying backgrounds and motivations. There's a sense of naive enthusiasm mixed with apprehension. They’ve come from different places: some have joined to be with their brothers, others for a sense of purpose, and some out of a perceived duty to the Union.

Their mission is vague, mostly involving patrolling and securing the vast, empty landscape. This quickly erodes their initial enthusiasm, and they begin to question their choices. There's a lot of walking, setting up camps, and trying to stay warm in the brutal winter conditions. They carry rifles but are mostly on guard against the elements and the psychological toll that sets in.

As the days and weeks pass, the soldiers' inner struggles become more apparent. They discuss their families, their lives before the war, and their growing doubts about the conflict itself. They debate the meaning of family versus country and whether the war is just. The reasons why they joined begin to seem insignificant in the face of the war’s realities. Their initial patriotic fervor is replaced with a sense of disorientation and a growing feeling of being lost. The conversations and interactions between the men reveal their vulnerabilities and existential angst. They start to grapple with the moral compromises inherent in war, and the senseless violence they might be forced to inflict. Their faith is tested, and the purpose of their sacrifices is continually debated, leaving the men with more questions than answers.

There is a chaotic and sudden shootout. It's not a glorious battle, but rather a confusing and brutal encounter where it’s not clear who is the aggressor. This moment serves as a turning point. It is a reminder of the harsh reality they are in and the possibility of death. Some of their own men are lost, creating a sense of despair among the remaining soldiers. After the encounter, the soldiers descend further into disillusionment. The war begins to seem meaningless and the hope of going home becomes a distant dream. The landscape, once vast and perhaps even beautiful, now feels menacing and unforgiving. Their patrols become aimless wanderings. They question whether there is value in fighting. The lines between their loyalties and their faith begin to blur, and the men appear lost and hopeless.

Cast

Production

Although director Minervini was born in Italy and lives in New York City, he resided in Texas for a decade and created a number of films about the region that blur the lines between documentary and narrative filmmaking. [4] The Damned serves as Minervini's first traditional narrative feature.

Minervini began developing The Damned in 2020. He travelled to Helena, Montana the following year and spoke to members of the National Guard about participating in the film. He also involved previous collaborators such as Tim Carson. [5]

The cast and crew established a campground in Montana and allowed locals to come and go to be a part of the film. The team worked without a script and shot in chronological order. [5]

Release

The Damned premiered on 16 May 2024 in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. [6] It has also been selected for the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024 as part of the World Cinema section. [7]

Reception

Critical reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 71% of 14 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.4/10. [8] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 63 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [9]

Film critic Carlo Valeri on Sentieri Selvaggi  [ it ] described it as "an ambitious counter-history of the United States carried out by the Italian director all along," [10] while Elisa Battistini on Quinlan points out that it is "a work that with great brilliance deals with war and its absurdity." [11] Gian Luca Pisacane on Cinematografo.it  [ it ] also notes that "Minervini abandons the documentary, but does not lose the political, social gaze that has always characterized him." [12]

Accolades

AwardCeremony dateCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
Cannes Film Festival 24 May 2024 Un Certain Regard Roberto Minervini Nominated [6]
Un Certain Regard – Best Director [a] Won [13]
Mediterrane Film Festival30 June 2024Main Competition - Best CinematographyCarlos Alfonso CorralWon [14]

Notes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elio Petri</span> Italian filmmaker (1929–1982)

Eraclio Petri, commonly known as Elio Petri, was an Italian film and theatre director, screenwriter and film critic. The Museum of Modern Art described him as "one of the preeminent political and social satirists of 1960s and early 1970s Italian cinema". His film Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion won the 1971 Academy Award for Best Foreign-Language Film, and his subsequent film The Working Class Goes to Heaven received the Palme d'Or at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marco Tullio Giordana</span> Italian director and screenwriter (born 1950)

Marco Tullio Giordana is an Italian director and screenwriter.

<i>Escape by Night</i> (1960 film) 1960 film by Roberto Rossellini

Escape by Night, also titled Blackout in Rome, is a 1960 Italian–French war drama film directed by Roberto Rossellini.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1998 Cannes Film Festival</span>

The 51st Cannes Film Festival took place from 13 to 24 May 1998. American filmmaker Martin Scorsese served as jury president for the main competition. Isabelle Huppert was the host for the opening and closing ceremonies.

Euro War, also known as Macaroni Combat, Macaroni War, Spaghetti Combat, or Spaghetti War, is a broad subgenre of war film that emerged in the mid-1960s. The films were named Euro War because most were European co-productions, most notably and commonly by Italians, as indicated by the subgenre's other nicknames that draw parallels to those films within the mostly Italian Spaghetti Western genre.

<i>The Shortest Day</i> 1963 Italian war movie parody

The Shortest Day is a 1963 Italian comedy film. It is a parody of the war movie The Longest Day and stars the popular duo Franco and Ciccio in the leading roles. Dozens of other well-known actors, from both European and American cinema, agreed to appear in the movie in cameo roles for free to avert the bankruptcy of the production company, Titanus.

<i>Bona</i> (film) 1980 Filipino film

Bona is a 1980 Filipino drama film directed by Lino Brocka from a story and screenplay written by Cenen Ramones. Starring Nora Aunor as the title character, the film tells the story of a young girl infatuated with a bit actor, played by Phillip Salvador. Aunor also produced the film through her production company NV Productions.

<i>His Days Are Numbered</i> 1962 Italian film

His Days Are Numbered, also titled Numbered Days, is a 1962 Italian drama film directed by Elio Petri.

<i>Stop the Pounding Heart</i> 2013 film

Stop the Pounding Heart is a 2013 documentary drama film written and directed by Roberto Minervini. It is a co-production between the United States, Italy and France and had a special screening at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. It was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.

<i>The Mystery of Dante</i> 2014 Italian film

The Mystery of Dante is a 2014 Italian independent film written and directed by Louis Nero that explores The Divine Comedy though a documentary-style look at the life and philosophy of Dante Alighieri.

<i>Una botta di vita</i> 1988 Italian comedy film

Una botta di vita is a 1988 Italian comedy film directed by Enrico Oldoini.

<i>The Other Side</i> (2015 film) 2015 film

The Other Side is a 2015 French-Italian documentary film directed by Roberto Minervini. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.

Mothers is an Italian film written and directed by Liana Marabini. It is intended to show in a realistic manner the tragedy of the mothers of those young men who enlist in the jihad. The film was produced by Condor Pictures in association with Liamar Multimedia.

Rebekah Fortune is a British film director and screenwriter.

Compulsion, also known as Sadie, is a 2016 internationally co-produced erotic thriller film directed by Craig Goodwill. It stars Lio Tipton, Jakob Cedergren and Marta Gastini. It premiered at the Torino Film Festival in November 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claudio Giovannesi</span> Italian film director and screenwriter (born 1978)

Claudio Giovannesi is an Italian film director and screenwriter.

Roberto Minervini is an Italian film director, screenwriter, photographer, and music producer. His recent films, focusing on American rural life and marginalized populations, have been praised for their "disarming directness." Minervini's films are notable for their use of both documentary observation and dramatized elements, sometimes in combination.

The Diary of Sisyphus is a 2023 Italian independent experimental drama film. It is the first feature-length film to be written by an artificial intelligence. First presented at the Festival dello Spettatore 2023 in Arezzo and at the Rome Videogame Lab 2024 with Rai Cinema and Cinecittà, it was released in Italian cinemas in January 2024.

<i>Mindemic</i> 2022 film

Mindemic is a 2022 Italian psychological comedy drama film directed by Giovanni Basso in his directorial debut.

<i>On Becoming a Guinea Fowl</i> 2024 film by Rungano Nyoni

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl is a 2024 black comedy drama film written and directed by Rungano Nyoni, and starring Susan Chardy, Elizabeth Chisela and Henry B.J. Phiri. It is a co-production between Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Zambia.

References

  1. ↑ Ntim, Zac. "Veteran Documentary Filmmaker Roberto Minervini On Making His First Narrative Feature With Civil War Drama 'The Damned' & How Sociopolical "Division" In The U.S. Fuels His Work – Cannes Studio". Deadline. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  2. ↑ "The Damned". Cannes Film Festival. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  3. ↑ Vivarelli, Nick. "Roberto Minervini on Making His Naturalistic U.S. Civil War Drama 'The Damned' While the 'Rust' Shooting Tragedy Broke – Trailer". Variety. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  4. ↑ Vestby, Ethan (10 June 2016). "The Films of Roberto Minervini: Capturing a Complicated Portrait of the American South". The Film Stage. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  5. 1 2 Rapold, Nicholas (16 May 2024). ""We Question Together Hyper-Masculinity in Life as Well As In the War Movie Genre": Roberto Minervini on The Damned". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  6. 1 2 "The Damned". Cannes Film Festival. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  7. ↑ Deb, Deepshikha (2024-09-30). "MAMI Mumbai Film Festival Unveils 2024 Official Lineup". High On Films. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
  8. ↑ "The Damned". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved 8 September 2024. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  9. ↑ "The Damned". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  10. ↑ Carlo Valeri (16 May 2024). "I dannati, di Roberto Minervini". Sentieri selvaggi (in Italian).
  11. ↑ Elisa Battistini (16 May 2024). "I DANNATI". Quinlan (in Italian).
  12. ↑ Gian Luca Pisacane (16 May 2024). "I dannati". Cinematografo.it (in Italian).
  13. ↑ Lodge, Guy (24 May 2023). "Cannes Film Festival: 'Black Dog' Wins Un Certain Regard Award". Variety . Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  14. ↑ Ross, Rafa Sales (2024-07-01). "'Life,' 'To a Land Unknown' Win Main Prizes at Sophomore Edition of Mediterrane Film Festival". Variety. Retrieved 2025-02-03.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.