Picciridda - Con i piedi nella sabbia

I read the book, I must say perfect movie for such a touching story!! Absolutely a must see.

A great coming of age story set in a stunningly filmic location, "Picciridda" is a cheerful, life-affirming film, a disarming mixture of charm and brutality. The beauty of Favignana, an island off western Sicily, in the turquoise Mediterranean Sea is simply extraordinary. Licata did a wonderful work with his actors. Picciridda is a strong debut. Highly recommended!

This was a very beautiful film. I highly recommend watching it.

Director Licata weaves a human tale that takes the viewer through a roller coaster of genuine emotions. Never cloying or sentimental, this film doesn't cater to its audience, instead drawing you in with an unflinching portrayal of human lives intertwined in joy, despair, love and indignity.

The actors are all natural and relatable, earning their way into your psyche. The director doesn't follow the Hollywood approach of talk, talk, talk but instead lets the faces, the streets, the ocean, the sky tell the tale, giving the audience an almost palpable sense of being alive. Best of all, I watched it two days ago and I'm still thinking - and feeling - about it.

It's a well done movie. It is slow, so be prepared for that.

I'm an actual, American man, and this movie did make me feel like a little Italian girl from the period that it is set in. That's pretty good.

The casting was impeccable.

There is a lot more that I would like to write about this film, but no spoilers from me.