A harrowing contemporary odyssey where vibrant Senegalese dreams collide with the vast, indifferent Sahara. This cinematic epic transforms a migrant's survival into a triumphant, soul-stirring cry of human dignity and resilience.
Io Capitano
Io capitano
Director:
Matteo Garrone
Cast:
Seydou Sarr, Moustapha Fall, Issaka Sawadogo, Hichem Yacoubi, Doodou Sagna
Drama
Adventure
Budget:
$13,272,819
Io Capitano - Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
Easter Eggs
Connection to 'Pinocchio'
Garrone has noted that Io Capitano follows the structure of a dark fairy tale. Seydou’s journey mirrors Pinocchio's: an innocent boy leaving home, being tricked by 'foxes and cats' (traffickers), and eventually finding himself in the 'belly of a whale' (the boat/prison) to emerge as a 'real man.'
Mamadou Kouassi Cameo/Reference
Mamadou Kouassi, whose life story inspired the first half of the film (the desert and prison), worked as a script consultant. His influence is felt in the precise details of the Libyan 'human markets.'
Gomorrah Aesthetic Contrast
While Gomorrah was gritty and desaturated, Io Capitano uses vibrant, saturated colors, especially in Senegal, to subvert the 'poverty porn' trope and show the beauty of the world the migrants are leaving behind.