Black Souls

Black Souls

Year: 2015

Runtime: 103 min

Language: Italian

Director: Francesco Munzi

Drama

Three Carbone brothers find themselves embroiled in a brutal conflict when their nephew's impulsive behavior triggers a long-standing feud with a powerful rival family. Luigi and Rocco are deeply involved in the international drug trade, while Luciano remains connected to their family's roots in the remote, mountainous region of Africo. As tensions escalate, the brothers must confront a legacy of violence that threatens to consume them all.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Black Souls yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Black Souls (2015) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Black Souls (2015), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

Luigi, a key figure in the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta and a notorious international drug dealer, is deeply intertwined with influential South American crime organizations. His older brother Rocco, who resides in Milan with his wife Valeria and their daughter, disapproves of Luigi’s criminal lifestyle and has opted for a more conventional career in construction. Meanwhile, their eldest brother, Luciano, strives to live a simple life in Calabria, tending to his goats in the mountains, hoping to remain detached from his siblings’ illicit ventures.

Tensions escalate when Leo, Luciano’s young and embittered son, retaliates against an insult by shooting at a bar that is under the protection of a rival ‘Ndrangheta clan—one that is already incensed by Luigi’s refusal to trade with them. The animosity between these families runs deep; Luigi has a personal vendetta against their boss, who was responsible for his father’s death many years ago.

As the rival clan demands that Luigi provide them with drugs, he decides to return to his hometown to confront them, aiming to bolster his alliances with other crime families first. However, before he can execute his plan, Luigi is murdered in the street. Rocco, who arrives from Milan, is filled with a burning desire for revenge but is first determined to ascertain whether his family stands alone or has the backing of other crime syndicates.

In stark contrast, Leo, feeling a profound sense of loyalty to his late uncle Luigi, believes he must take matters into his own hands. He devises a plan to assassinate the rival boss but is ultimately betrayed by one of his accomplices, leading to his own death. This betrayal sends shockwaves through all involved, particularly affecting his father Luciano. In a moment of deep despair, Luciano, having just burned pictures of his father who had fallen victim to the clan’s violence years earlier, returns home and kills Rocco. It appears he is now contemplating suicide, contemplating the tragic extinction of his family line and the cycle of violence that has plagued them.

Last Updated: November 15, 2024 at 19:49

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Fatalistic Mafia Tragedies like Black Souls

Grim crime dramas about families trapped by a legacy of violence.If you liked the grim inevitability of Black Souls, explore more movies like it. This list features bleak crime dramas where mafia families are consumed by a cycle of violence and betrayal, leading to tragic, hopeless conclusions.

grimfatalistictragicoppressivetensemournfulgrittydoomed

Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread follow a downward spiral, often triggered by a single act of disrespect or revenge. Characters are bound by codes of honor that ultimately lead to their destruction, with the narrative emphasizing the futility of trying to escape a violent destiny.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their shared bleak tone, high emotional weight, and focus on the destructive cycles within crime families. They create a consistent vibe of oppressive doom and tragic inevitability.

Bleak Rural Crime Dramas similar to Black Souls

Stories where isolated settings amplify the weight of crime and consequence.For viewers who appreciated the remote, atmospheric setting of Black Souls, this collection features similar movies like it. Discover grim crime stories where rural life and harsh landscapes heighten the tension and tragedy of family conflicts.

grimruralatmospherictensemournfulclaustrophobicgrittyisolated

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern often involves characters who are tied to a specific, rugged place, where ancient grudges and codes of conduct dictate their lives. The slow, steady pacing allows the setting to contribute to a mood of inescapable fate, as geographic isolation mirrors emotional imprisonment.

Why These Movies?

These films share a specific mood crafted by the combination of a bleak crime plot and a rural, often harsh, setting. The pacing is typically steady, building a sense of dread that feels inherent to the landscape and the way of life depicted.

Unlock the Full Story of Black Souls

Don't stop at just watching — explore Black Souls in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Black Souls is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Black Souls Timeline

Track the full timeline of Black Souls with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Black Souls Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Black Souls

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Black Souls. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in Black Souls

Black Souls Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Black Souls that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Black Souls Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Black Souls

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Black Souls: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Black Souls

Similar Movies to Black Souls

Discover movies like Black Souls that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.