Italian director Giovanni Tortorici is presenting his second feature, “Ketticè,” at the Locarno Film Festival in competition. The coming-of-age drama is set in 2012 Palermo and follows the dynamics among young people as they navigate pressures from schools and adults.
The film’s cast includes Monica Bellucci, described as portraying an eccentric aristocratic matron, and she is among the few professional actors in the production. Tortorici is promoting the follow-up to his debut feature “Diciannove,” which drew attention after screening in Venice Horizons.
Luca Guadagnino, who produces the project, discusses why he feels compelled to back Tortorici’s work, pointing to the broader Italian film landscape. While outlets emphasize different aspects—Variety focusing on Tortorici’s career and Bellucci’s role, and The Hollywood Reporter focusing on Guadagnino’s commentary on the conditions for Italian filmmaking—both describe “Ketticè” as a youth-centered story grounded in its 2012 Palermo setting.
