The Night of the Shooting Stars (1982)
"La notte di San Lorenzo" (original title)

The Night of San Lorenzo, the night of the shooting stars, is the night when dreams come true in Italian folklore. In 1944, a group of Italians flee their town after hearing rumours that ... See full summary »

Directors:

Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani

Writers:

Paolo Taviani (screenplay), Vittorio Taviani (screenplay),

Stars:

Omero Antonutti, Margarita Lozano, Claudio Bigagli

16 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Omero Antonutti	...	Galvano
Margarita Lozano	...	Concetta
Claudio Bigagli	...	Corrado
Miriam Guidelli	...	Belindia
Massimo Bonetti	...	Nicola
Enrica Maria Modugno	...	Mara
Sabina Vannucchi	...	Rosanna
Giorgio Naddi	...	Bishop
Renata Zamengo	...	La Scardigli
Micol Guidelli	...	Cecilia
Massimo Sarchielli	...	Father Marmugi
Giovanni Guidelli	...	Marmugi Junior
Mario Spallino	...	Bruno
Paolo Hendel	...	Dilvo
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Leila Amodeo

Storyline

The Night of San Lorenzo, the night of the shooting stars, is the night when dreams come true in Italian folklore. In 1944, a group of Italians flee their town after hearing rumours that the Nazis plan to blow it up and that the Americans are about to arrive to liberate them.

---

Plot Keywords:

town | world war two in italy | hiding | bread | imagination | 

---

Genres:

Drama | History | War

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

16 September 1982 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Night of the Shooting Stars

Filming Locations:

Empoli, Florence, Tuscany, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI), Ager Cinematografica, SACIS

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The church scene, where Germans bomb the church full of people, was based on real life events that took place in San Miniato (the birthplace of Paolo Taviani and Vittorio Taviani). However, more than two decades after this movie was made, the case was reopened and it was discovered, that the fatal bomb actually belonged to the American army, and hit the church accidentally.

---

Goofs

A man, likely Dilvo, raises watermelon to his mouth with both hands, but in the next shot is eating it only with the right hand.

---

Connections

Featured in Marcello Mastroianni: I Remember (1997)

User Reviews

the sacrifice worths the war ?

If you watch this movie you will note the importance of American fight for freedom on II World War. Italy was in a civil war, partigiani against fascists, cousins against cousins. The Taviani brothers bring on marvelous Toscany landscape all the pain of battles. The anatomy and cruelty of the war, the mourning face of a German soldier is the same as the enemy, how the civilian suffers under cross fire are revealed by takes as cutting knife. Can love survive or grow under war freedom restriction ? Was the church collaborating with fascist in some aspects ? Are open questions whose replies the directors try to give us. We can't avoid thinking about what is going on Iraque war, after all tears and stars are falling on San Lorenzo nights years by years since the end of II World War, the war never stopped in this crazy word.