Caesar Must Die (2012)

Inmates at a high-security prison in Rome prepare for a public performance of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar."

Directors:

Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani

Writers:

William Shakespeare (play), Paolo Taviani (screenplay)

Stars:

Cosimo Rega, Salvatore Striano, Giovanni Arcuri

16 wins & 21 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Cosimo Rega	...	Cassio
Salvatore Striano	...	Bruto
Giovanni Arcuri	...	Cesare
Antonio Frasca	...	Marcantonio
Juan Dario Bonetti	...	Decio
Vincenzo Gallo	...	Lucio
Rosario Majorana	...	Metello
Francesco De Masi	...	Trebonio
Gennaro Solito	...	Cinna
Vittorio Parrella	...	Casca
Pasquale Crapetti	...	Legionary
Francesco Carusone	...	Fortune Teller
Fabio Rizzuto	...	Stratone
Fabio Cavalli	...	Theatre Director
Maurilio Giaffreda	...	Ottavio

Storyline

In Rebibbia Prison in Italy, its inmate theatre program puts on a well received production of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. The film goes back several months earlier as the coordinators announces the play as the program's production of the year. With that project set, we see its creation as the cast is auditioned and selected for this artistic challenge. As they rehearse, the prisoners, many of whom are long termers and lifers for serious crimes, find that the classic play has both a striking resonance and contrast to their confined lives.

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Plot Keywords:

italy | shakespeare's julius caesar | prison | high security | mafioso | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Paolo and Vittorio Taviani heard about the prisoners acting program and contacted Fabio Cavalli with the idea of doing Shakespeare's play and shot the whole experience.

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Quotes

Cassio: Ever since I discovered art, this cell has truly become a prison.
[subtitled version]

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Connections

Featured in Film 2018: Episode dated 27 February 2013 (2013)

User Reviews

Caesar Must Die

Taviani Brothers'2012 Golden Berlin Bear winner, saw the screening in this year's KVIFF, an intensely conceptual piece which recounts a play of "Julius Caesar"done by all-male prisoners. Shot entirely in Black & White, the film generates a certain art form extremity of blurring the boundary between play and film, and takes advantages of the indoor settings (which almost encompasses the entire film except for a few shots), the final result is gratifyingly diverting, both the film and the play-in-the-film.

I have only watched one Taviani Brothers' film before, ALLONSANFAN (1974, a 5/10). So I need to do more homework to comment on their style or expound on their near 60 years long walk- of-life. Simply single out this film, its artistic frontier has transcended other peers and condensed into a puristic absorption on the material itself, namely, the characters of the play and the individual prisoners who take on the roles, and strikingly their distinctions and similarities are undone in a yet refrained way. There are affluent theatrical nuisances in the film, although it only runs a scant 76 minutes, the film successfully conveys its ethos and every second counts.

Salvatore Striano stars the leading role as Bruto, his rough-edged dedication is imperfect but authentic, other supporters, the stand-outs are Cosimo Rega's Cassio and Juan Dario Bonetti's Decio, but by and large the amateur antics are put into the right place, and the absorbing original score by Giuliano Taviani and Carmelo Travia also lifts the film into a great adaption from Shakespeare's cannon. It's a true blessing to justify the fact that directors could surpass themselves even at their octogenarian years.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site [Japan]

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

2 March 2012 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Caesar Must Die

Filming Locations:

Rebibbia, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Box Office

Gross USA:

$76,908

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,567,339

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kaos Cinematografica, Stemal Entertainment, Le Talee

Technical Specs

Runtime:

77 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1