Genesis: The Creation and the Flood (1994) Genesi: La creazione e il diluvio (original title)

Director:

Ermanno Olmi

Writer:

Ermanno Olmi

Release Date:

16 September 1994 (Italy)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | History

Plot:

An all-enveloping darkness. Suddenly, a child's voice, frightened, questioning, pierces the darkness...

Plot Keywords:

Noah | God | Old Man | Animal | Brother Brother Relationship

Cast

Annabi Abdelialil	...	Cain
Omero Antonutti	...	Noah
Sabir Aziz	...	Adam
B. Haddan Mohammed	...	Abel
Paul Scofield	...	(voice)
Haddou Zoubida	...	Eve

Directed by
Ermanno Olmi

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ermanno Olmi

Produced by
Franco Bollati	....	executive producer
Giampietro Bonamigo	....	line producer
Paolo Piria	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Film Editing by
Paolo Cottignola
Fabio Olmi

Casting by
Abdessamad Dinia

Production Design by
Paolo Biagetti

Set Decoration by
Titus Dieter Vossberg

Costume Design by
Enrico Sabbatini

Makeup Department
Leila Ben Barka	....	makeup artist
Mario Michisanti	....	key makeup artist
Maurizio Silvi	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Francesco Fantacci	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Piergiorgio Gay	....	first assistant director
Zinedine Ibnou Jabal	....	second assistant director
Leonardo Monti	....	third assistant director

Sound Department
Paolo Centoni	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Thierry Toscan	....	special effects

Stunts
Joel Proust	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Antonino Costantino	....	key grip
Giovanni Gebbia	....	Steadicam operator
Luca Luparini	....	camera operator
Fabio Olmi	....	camera operator
Francesco Rachini	....	gaffer
Vincenzo Vedovato	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Giovanni Viti	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Paola Bocci	....	assistant editor

Transportation Department
Marco Quintili	....	transportation manager

Other crew
Laura Bettanin	....	production secretary
Milena Bono	....	production coordinator
Cristina De Gregorio	....	continuity
Augusto Grassi	....	jeweler
Augusto Grassi	....	leather master
Elisabetta Olmi	....	production coordinator
Roberto Penna	....	production auditor
Driss Saber	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Rai Uno Radiotelevisione (as Rete 1)
• Lux Vide
• Lube Productions
• Beta Film (co-production)

Distributors

• Con Dios Entertainment (2011) (Australia) (DVD)
• Istituto Luce (1994) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Trimark Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Genesi: La creazione e il diluvio" - Italy (original title)
"Genesis" - USA (DVD title)

Runtime:

Brazil:91 min

Country:

Italy | Germany

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Australia:PG | Italy:T

Filming Locations:

Morocco

Company:

Rai Uno Radiotelevisione

Movie Connections:

Follows Abraham (1993) (TV)

Genesis - The Creation And The Flood (Ermanno Olmi, 1994) **

My father rented "The Bible Collection" DVDs over the Easter period, but I was interested in watching only two of these and that was only because of who directed them - this one by Italian film-maker Olmi and the already-reviewed SAMSON AND DELILAH (1996) by Nicolas Roeg.

Of course, as Roeg's film obviously elicited largely unfavorable comparisons to Cecil B. De Mille's 1949 spectacular, so too does this one to John Huston's notorious 1966 biblical flop. Still, much as that film proved a disappointment, its undeniable grandeur is vastly preferable to the ordinariness and quasi-documentary style of Olmi's effort (the star cast Huston assembled certainly didn't hurt - whereas here only Italian actor Omero Antonutti is recognizable at all, as the rest of the cast is comprised of non-professional Moroccans)!

To be fair to Olmi, he handles the events with some imagination - as they're presented in the form of campfire tales narrated by nomad Antonutti (who also takes on the role of Noah) to his people - and the images (accentuated by Ennio Morricone's wistful score) are often poetic...but the over-familiarity of it all and the distinct lack of excitement displayed throughout results in sheer dullness! Thankfully, the film is only around an hour and a half in length - whereas most of the other titles in "The Bible Collection" ran for something like twice that running-time (as does, after all, John Huston's THE BIBLE - IN THE BEGINNING itself). One other asset to the film, at least in its English-dubbed version I watched, is the melodious voice of Paul Scofield (who dubs Antonutti throughout).