The Keys to the House (2004)
"Le chiavi di casa" (original title)

Meeting his handicapped son for the first time, a young father attempts to forge a relationship with the teenager.

Director:

Gianni Amelio

Writers:

Gianni Amelio (story), Sandro Petraglia (story),

Stars:

Kim Rossi Stuart, Charlotte Rampling, Andrea Rossi

12 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kim Rossi Stuart	...	Gianni
Charlotte Rampling	...	Nicole
Andrea Rossi	...	Paolo
Alla Faerovich	...	Nadine
Pierfrancesco Favino	...	Alberto
Manuel Katzy	...	Taxi driver
Michael Weiss	...	Andreas
Ingrid Appenroth	...	Hospital warden
Dimitri Süsin	...	Boy watching TV
Thorsten Schwarz	...	Male nurse
Eric Neumann	...	Playground boy
Dirk Zippa	...	Young man on wheelchair
Barbara Koster-Chari	...	Nurse
Anita Bardeleben	...	Doctor
Ralf Schlesener	...	Newspaper seller

Storyline

"Prepare yourself for suffering if you intend to be close to him." So speaks the mother of a young woman with severe disabilities, speaking to Gianni, the father of 16-year-old Paolo, himself developmentally disabled. Gianni abandoned the boy at birth, when the child's mother died, and Paulo's aunt and uncle have raised him. They have contacted Gianni and asked him to take Paulo to Berlin for a battery of medical tests. Images of people walking, running, skating, and dancing dot the screen as Gianni and Paulo get to know each other. Over a few days, Gianni tries to sort out his obligations and his desires. Will he accept his role as father to this engaging, mercurial, disabled youth?

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Plot Keywords:

hospital | boy | dancing | suffering | medical test | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [fr]

Country:

Italy Germany France

Language:

Italian German French English

Release Date:

10 September 2004 (Italy)

Also Known As:

The Keys to the House

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$726,410 (Italy) (10 September 2004)

Gross:

$726,410 (Europe) (10 September 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rai Cinema, Jean Vigo Italia, ACHAB Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is Charlotte Rampling's first film in Italian. Although she has made several other Italian films, she has always been dubbed beforehand, so this is the first occasion when Italians could actually hear her real voice.

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Soundtracks

"Deus Do Fogo E Da Justiça"
Written by Lima / Almeida
Performed by Virginia Rodrigues
Courtesy of Warner / Chappel LTDA 2000

User Reviews

A movie. Or a special conversation.

Story about love, duty and the shadows of past. About the touch of two different worlds, about a child and his father and the forms of beauty and freedom. A movie about essential things of passing days and the heart of words, images and appearances. A film of an actor, the impressive Andrea Rossi, delicate, expressive, natural. Basic, manifesto for understand a disease. In fact, lesson about the science to discover the other. About the way for be yourself. A film as a water. Colors, nuances, gravel. And subtle interpretation of Charlotte Rampling, the strain of Stuart Rossi's character and the gestures of special star - Andrea Rossi. Touching, profound and natural. A movie like a time of world's contemplation in deep silence. As walk on the beach in the evening. Or a time of talk with your feelings.