Li chiamarono… briganti!

Set in the early 1860s during Italy's unification, the film follows the fallout after Garibaldi's Expedition of the Thousand. Promises of amnesty crumble, fueling distrust and rebellion among the people. The period is marked by brutal repression as new and old powers contest control of central-southern Italy.

Rionero in Vulture sits in the sunbaked hills of the Basilicata region in southern Italy. The surrounding Vulture area provides rugged terrain that shapes guerrilla warfare and the rebels' hideouts. The landscape and local communities reflect the harsh economic conditions of the Risorgimento era, grounding the story in a region torn between old loyalties and new political orders.

🔥 Resistance

A central thread is the resistance of the poor against a changing political order. Crocco's brigands mobilize around local grievances, seeking autonomy and relief from taxation and hunger. The clergy's involvement, including Don Pietro's persuasion, blurs lines between spiritual authority and political leverage. The violence from both rebels and authorities casts resistance in a morally complex light.

🤝 Loyalty

Loyalty is tested as Crocco grapples with external powers and shifting alliances. The arrival of Borjes promises aid but threatens Crocco's leadership, forcing him to balance pragmatism with independence. Caruso's betrayal exposes vulnerabilities and undermines trust within the ranks. The film portrays how loyalty can bend under pressure, leading to difficult choices.

⚖️ Repression

The state responds with brutal repression, showing the cost of political upheaval to civilians. Cialdini's orders escalate violence, with mass killings and confiscations that spare no one. The crackdown starkly contrasts law and order with the desperation of the poor, painting a grim portrait of a society in transition.