A whimsical sequence of a child´s hands playing under a sheet bathed by the morning light, after what seems to have been a short night sleep ,and a tired bearded man waking up completely. The joyful father/son moment transforms into a rush since the kid is late for school and the father takes him there in a hurry.
The name of the young single father is Salvo (Gianpiero Pumo) and the kid´s name is Giovanni aka Giovannino (Lucio Calabrese Falcone) We learn that the kid doesnt speak and also his mother can’t see him because of a legal restriction order.
Salvo has financial troubles, so he looks for a job in newspaper adverts. To balance his income and pay his debts he chooses I to collaborate with Tony, his brother in law, collecting money others owe him after criminal activities.
While doing his job, Salvo is beaten up, robbed and left on the street to the kindness of strangers. A trans woman finds, helps and cures him at her place, and she also invites him to come to the gay night club where she performs. She is Ciuré (Vivian Bellina) the most amazing, sexiest and sluttiest of all Palermo, Italy, a place where life can be tough.
The morning after Ciure is taking care of her yellow nails and getting beautifully ready for the day when suddenly Salvo arrives and explains to her his need of cash (1200 euros to bring to Tony in a short term of 3 days). She proposes that he dances for money at the club.
That same night, following her suggestion, a reluctant Salvo looking to earn money shows up at the disco bar with Giovannino. There is an instant rapport among Ciuré and the kid with whom she sets a straight -forward communication, while Salvo puts on make-up and dresses up for the spectacle.
This story of the three evolves and rejection becomes attraction, prejudices fall apart, evil things happen, and viciousness vanishes to give place to what comes next.
Ciuré is the first feature film of writer / director Gianpiero Puno who also performs as leading actor Salvo. With Lucio Calabrese Falcone (Giovannino) Maurizio Bologna (Tony) Marilú Pipitone (Valeria) and Vivian Bellina (Ciuré).
Winner of The Valley Film Festival’s Juried Foreign Feature Competition will screen at Los Angeles Valley College on Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024
Review by José Mayorga , Guatemala, Central America lawyer and notary public, visual artist, and editor of El Azar Cultural, lives and works in Guatemala City. Cinema lover, curious about the possibilities life brings and eager to live the experience.
