A Última Neve da Primavera

I agree with calico_demon. I saw this film on it's cinema release in the UK, and still rate it as one of the most moving films I have ever seen. I am not ashamed to admit having had to reach for the tissues.

Although the film follows a well-tried formula, the young star of this movie, Renato Cestie, gives a convincing performance as Luca. A lonely boy, who's father is too busy with his own affairs to notice that his son is dying - until it is almost too late. Renato turned in an equally moving performance as Giocomino, in the movie "Il Venditore di palloncini".(Known in the UK as "Last Moments").

OK, the plot was very similar. You either love this sort of film, or you hate it. I enjoyed both films immensely, and was pleased I bought copies when they were eventually released on video. And, even if they are on the now defunct Betamax format, I'll go on enjoying them, while ever my Betamax machine holds out.

Never thought I'd be looking for this movie after all these years. Yep, I was 11 years old in 1973 when my parents took me to see this movie in a huge cinema in Kuwait.

This movie was so amazingly cheerful yet so, so sad at the end. It makes think about how vulnerable we all are by terminal diseases, including our own beloved children. I guess it left such a big memory in my sole that I thought about it now that I'm 45 years old!!! If you want to cry for sure, watch this movie.

A more recent movie kind of reminds me of this one. The Cure, 1995, is very close to this story.

One of a trend of "tearjerkers" made in Italy in the '70s starring child (at the time) actor Renato Cestie' (see also "The tree with pink leaves", "The balloons vendor", "White horses of summer", the latter sadly featuring the great Jean Seberg at the very end of her career. The plot in the films is always about "sick/misunderstood/neglected child in an awful adult world" - this specific one is about a terminally ill child brought up by a selfish and career minded father. I got really traumatized when I saw it as a child and to me it represents a true example of manipulative and exploitative film- making. I suppose it would be now considered a cult film in its own genre, as it somewhat verges on the kitsch...

I guess I was 10 yrs old when I saw this movie in Japan. I fell in love with Renato Cestie (was Luca) and I wasn't sure what language he was speaking in the movie (mix of English and Italian? not sure), but I had started learning English then for someday when I happen to meet with Renato, I wanted to be able to communicate with him. Wow, I still remember his fan letter address in Roma, Italy, however, I've never got the answer from Renato tho....haha....

This opportunity didn't bring me to Italy (I've never been there yet!) but brought me to USA to live when I was 20 by myself, but later got married in New York, my husband's family originally came from Italy. We are always talking about someday we've got to go to Italy.

I recently googled "Renato Cestie" and saw some of his recent picture, he doesn't have blonde hair anymore, but still has the same cute smile. Did he got married too and have some kids? Anyway....

God Bless, Renato and just wanted to say Thank You. You were my hope, You were my every motive when I was a kid.

Reading these comments takes me back to when i saw this film as a young child. I only saw a small section of it, one of those evenings when i should have been in bed but had crept down the stairs and saw watching it through the ajar lounge door without anyone knowing. It didn't take long for me to be in floods tears and was duly discovered. The scene being the one where the child is taken on the fairground ride, moved me like i don't think i have ever been moved by a film since. That scene and the memory of that brief portion of the film i saw stayed with me for many years. I can safely say no other film has touched me that way nor probably ever will. Strange because i have never forgotten what the film was called and don't think i will ever get those such moving images out of my head. Im now on a hunt to buy this film again but i don't think my emotions will take another viewing some 25 years later! Cinema has now moved on from the heart wrenching tales of family based tragedy but this will always be a classic for me and one that every person should watch once in their life, if for nothing other than to keep Kleenex in business