SYNOPSIS
During a five year period an Italian filmmaker documents the world of down-on-their-luck individuals who live in a Californian desert trying to get by one day at a time. None of them has more than a vehicle, a dog and some clothes.
CAST & CREW
Gianfranco Rosi
Director
Producer(s)
Gianfranco Rosi
Script
Gianfranco Rosi
Director of Photography
Gianfranco Rosi
Edit
Jacopo Quadri
Production company(ies)
21 One Productions
Gianfranco Rosi
Gianfranco Rosi was born in Asmara, Eritrea. After attending university in Italy, in 1985 he moved to New York and graduated from the New York University Film School. Following a journey to India, he produced and directed his first documentary film, Boatman, screened with success at various international film festivals including the Sundance IFF, the Locarno IFF and the Toronto IFF. In 2008, Below Sea Level, shot in Slab City, California, won the Orizzonti Award at the Venice IFF. The film also won the Grand Prix and the Prix des Jeunes at the Cinéma du Réel Festival in 2009, the Prize for Best Documentary at the One World FF in Prague, the Vittorio De Seta Prize at the Bif&st 2009 for the Best Documentary and was nominated as Best Documentary at the European Film Awards in 2009. In 2010, he shooted the feature El Sicario, Room 164, a film-interview about a killer from the Mexican drug cartels and won several prizes. In 2013, he made the documentary feature, Sacro GRA, that won the Golden Lion at the Venice IFF.
Filmography
Boatman (1993), Afterwords (2001), Below Sea Level (2008), El Sicario, Room 164 (2010), Sacro GRA (2013), Fire at Sea (2016).