The story is set at the beginning of the 20th century in Sicily. Salvatore, a very poor farmer, and a widower, decides to emigrate to the US with all his family, including his old mother. Before they embark, they meet Lucy. She is supposed to be a British lady and wants to come back to the States. Lucy, or Luce as Salvatore calls her, for unknown reasons wants to marry someone before to arrive to Ellis Island in New York. Salvatore accepts the proposal. Once they arrive in Ellis Island they spend the quarantine period trying to pass the examinations to be admitted to the States. Tests are not so simple for poor farmers coming from Sicily. Their destiny is in the hands of the custom officers.
Directed by Emanuele Crialese
ship
attachment to nature
restart
parent child relationship
tradition
italy
sicily, italy
home
superstition
emigration
peasant
atlantic ocean
family history
utopia
progress
ocean crossing
intelligence test
mute
family
emigrant
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Letterboxd
3.4 / 5
Where to Watch
Cast
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Lucy Reed
Vincenzo Amato
Salvatore Mancuso
Aurora Quattrocchi
Fortunata Mancuso
Francesco Casisa
Angelo Mancuso
Filippo Pucillo
Pietro Mancuso
Vincent Schiavelli
Don Luigi
Federica De Cola
Rita D'Agostini
Isabella Ragonese
Rosa Napolitano
Filippo Luna
Don Ercole
Andrea Prodan
Del Fiore
Ernesto Mahieux
Dr. Zampino
Alessandra Fazzino
Santa
Crew
Emanuele Crialese
Director
Emanuele Crialese
Writer
Maryline Monthieux
Editor
Alexandre Mallet-Guy
Producer
Emanuele Crialese
Producer
Norma Angeleri
Casting
Carlos Conti
Production Design
Mariano Tufano
Costume Design
Christian Rajaud
VFX Supervisor
Adrián Suárez
Art Department Assistant
Popular Reviews
12 reviews
Eli Guinther
5.0★ · 01/14/26
Didn’t see the full thing, but got the general idea in social studies. I think the ending was surprising and the whole speed dating thing was quite interesting
Didn’t see the full thing, but got the general idea in social studies. I think the ending was surprising and the whole speed dating thing was quite interesting
Andrew Almeda
4.0★ · 09/09/25
Mid
Mid
Kait
3.7★ · 09/08/24
Wasn’t expecting to hear “feeling good”
Wasn’t expecting to hear “feeling good”
aly
7.0★ · 09/15/22
why they all thirsting over this one bitch when they’re literal immigrants on a boat to america like y’all got bigger life problems rn
why they all thirsting over this one bitch when they’re literal immigrants on a boat to america like y’all got bigger life problems rn