| Porte aperte | |
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| Directed by | Gianni Amelio |
| Written by | Gianni Amelio Vincenzo Cerami Alessandro Sermoneta |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Tonino Nardi |
| Edited by | Simona Paggi |
| Music by | Franco Piersanti |
| Distributed by | Orion Classics (US) |
Release date |
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Running time | 108 minutes |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian |
| Box office | $252,000 (Italy)[1] |
Open Doors (Italian: Porte aperte) is a 1990 Italian film directed by Gianni Amelio, based on the 1987 novel Porte ApertebyLeonardo Sciascia. Set in 1930s Palermo, the film follows a judge who challenges the prevailing support for the death penalty. His stance is tested when a man perpetrates a gruesome triple murder, sparking conflict with both the fascist regime and public sentiment, ultimately compelling him to confront his moral principles.
The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the 63rd Academy Awards.[2]
In 1936, in Palermo, a former judicial officer named Tommaso Scalia brutally murders the former top lawyer, Spatafora, who was responsible for his dismissal, along with his colleague who replaced him due to their association with a fascist organization. He then proceeds to assault and kill his own wife before turning himself in to the police. The public demands Scalia's execution, and the justice system, aligned with Mussolini's regime, is eager to comply. However, a jury member named Vito Di Francesco, opposed to capital punishment, attempts to uncover the true motives behind the crimes through subtle questioning of witnesses. Throughout the trial, he clashes not only with the prosecutor and court officials, who prioritize strict adherence to state laws even at the expense of humanity, but also faces hostility from the defendant himself.
Consolo, a modest landowner serving as a juror, supports Di Francesco's approach. Eventually, Scalia is sentenced to a prison term instead of execution. Shortly after, Di Francesco is transferred to a remote district court, where his idea that justice should be guided by principles of fairness rather than political agendas fails to attract attention.
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| Preceded by | European Film Award for Best European Film 1990 |
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Films directed by Gianni Amelio
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