All language subtitles for A.Call.For.Inclusion.2016.720p.NF.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.x264-TEPES_eng

Flavia, wake up. Good morning.

Shall we try and blow it out?

I'll start counting.

One, two, and three.

We'll try again tomorrow, all right?

TURIN 1970

-You're so pretty.
-Thank you, darling.

-How do I look?
-Something's missing.

What?

This.

What did you do?

Give it to me.

-It'll bring you luck.
-I won't make it, you'll see.

-But you're still trying,
-They'll hire you, Mommy!

You're beautiful.

-Can you take care of Flavia?
-Yeah, I'll handle her.

If they hire her,
she'll be everybody's boss, right?

This country
has never had a woman as a boss.

Good morning.

Gentlemen. And ma'am.

I'm Superintendent Andreoli.

I want to welcome you
and wish you good luck

for the headmaster's exam
that you're about to take.

It's 9:00 a.m., precisely.

You shall have three hours
to complete the exam.

No delay will be tolerated.
Do your best. And good luck.

Thank you.

The mission of an educator
isn't just to teach,

but to give the students
prospects for their future.

-Hi, darling.
-My love, how did it go?

-I don't know.
-That's how things are in this country.

If you don't have friends in high places,
you have to start a revolution.

-Look!
-Robertino…

-Flavia, show them! Come here!
-Wait…

How many times do I have to tell you
to be careful with your sister?

-Flavia. Flavia.
-But earlier she walked towards me!

-Get her over there.
-I swear, Mom!

Don't worry about it.

-Sit at the table.
-Easy, honey.

Don't worry.

-Here we go.
-Are you hungry? Flavia, look at Mommy.

-No more crying, stop.
-She did take a step towards me.

STATE MIDDLE SCHOOL
OCTOBER

Mancuso! You can't be up there!
Back to your classroom, immediately!

Mancuso!

What's going on?
Who's that? Isn't he in your class?

Yes, Mancuso. He never attends.
He isn't even wearing his smock.

The headmaster even wants them to wear
the bow. Good thing he's retiring.

Giovanna, Giovanna, they're waiting
for you at the secretary's office.

Sure.

Good luck.

Mancuso, to the classroom, please.

-What are you doing, Mancuso?
-Leave him alone, he's crazy!

He's not crazy, he's just a terrone.

Better to be crazy
than a terrone from the South.

Children, please.

Mancuso,
you'll get another disciplinary note.

I'll tear it apart!

I won't be the one writing it,
the headmaster will.

-I'll tear it up right in his face!
-Mancuso, I'm going to get you!

-What are you doing, you little rascal?
-Next time, I'll hit you in the head.

-You're not normal.
-Mancuso, for the last time, go to class.

You go to class.

Casale, excuse me. Hi, Riccardo!
It's Felice. How are you?

You can get lost too.
I'm not going to class.

Awesome, you don't have to.

Actually, we wanted to join you
in the yard, can we?

Will you allow us?

-That's not how it works.
-Let me do this. May we come?

Do what you want.

I'll take that as a yes!
Bye, Casale. Well, then let's go!

I'm speechless.

Look at that.

Here we are, Riccardo!
Come on, my heroic troops. Forwards!

I say forward and you stop?
You retreat? How come?

Because Mancuso's
going to throw rocks at us.

That's nonsense, Francesco.
Isn't that right?

-If you do, we'll kick your ass.
-You can try it, I'm not scared.

-I'll take you all out, even 20 to one.
-Calm down, no need for any of that.

What's the subject of today's lesson?

-The Trojan Wars, Professor.
-Perfect. Let's see. Giovanni.

You will play Aeneas, and you Anchises.
So, you'll carry him on your shoulders.

What did I do? Why do I have to carry him?

Nothing, it's for academic purposes.
Do you agree to being carried by Giovanni?

-See?
-Professor, listen.

-I'm listening.
-I'm not scared, but he smells.

-Do you want me to fuck you up?
-Calm down, settle down.

Giovanni, I know very well
that he doesn't smell,

and that you and your friends
make fun of him for that exact reason.

That's why Riccardo doesn't want
to come to class anymore.

So, you know what?

If I believed in punishment,
I'd punish you.

Thanks to all of you,
a page of history will come back to life.

Troy has fallen
and is being consumed by the flames.

The Trojan women are crying.

Cry harder! The warriors
don't give up and keep fighting!

That's it!
Aeneas, carrying his elderly father

and holding his son by the hand,
seeks refuge at the docks.

He runs towards the ships.
Cry! Fight! Run! What are you doing?

The kidnapping of the Sabine Women

won't happen
until several centuries later.

Great job, I'm very proud of all of you.

Good morning. Good morning.
Good morning, everyone, hello.

-Easy, children. Please.
-Good morning, Professor.

Hello, Casale. Easy, kids.

Professor Giuliano,
perhaps you didn't notice

the bell ringing ten minutes ago.

-But the Trojan War requires time.
-It best not happen again.

I have a schedule to follow
and I can't spare ten minutes.

-I sincerely apologize.
-All right.

What?

-Mancuso.
-What?

Isn't he coming to class?

I didn't realize he was missing.

He will come, but only if we go
to the yard, like with Professor Giuliano.

-It's better out there.
-See what you did?

Now I'll have to write him
a disciplinary note.

Another one? He's got a collection.

Disciplinary notes
are useless with that kid.

But if I don't give him one,
what example am I setting for the others?

Professor Giuliano, please.
There are rules to follow.

Children, take out your Italian textbook,
go to page 65.

-Goodbye.
-The door.

Be quick about it.

He didn't even tell me he was married,
I wasted three months on him.

I even brought him home
to meet my parents.

I told you there was something odd
about him. Something is up with him too.

-With who? Professor Giuliano?
-What is he, some kind of rebel?

Don't be silly, he must be in his fifties.
Rebels are all young and handsome.

-Do you like agitators now?
-As long as they're pretty.

I heard a lot about Giuliano,

that he worked in two schools
before coming here, and that…

-I can't believe it.
-I swear. Apparently, he went to prison.

Prison?

I wonder what he did.

-Here?
-That's right.

-Good here?
-Yes.

-Wow. Your father works here?
-He doesn't just work here, he owns it.

-He does? Can I meet him?
-Anyway, do you have a cigarette?

-What?
-A cigarette?

Are you insane? What if your dad sees you?

He'd kill me.

I won't kill you,
but I won't give you one either.

At most, I can give you a pencil
for your homework.

-Whatever, goodbye, Professor.
-See you tomorrow at school.

Let's go!

Hey, little rascal!

Hi, Mom.

-Did you get the milk?
-With what money?

-I told you, put it on the tab.
-If we don't pay, he won't open the tab.

Well, change his mind.

I'll start my housekeeping shift.
Here's your pasta.

-When will you be back?
-Late. You'll have to take care of Tonino.

Mom, I want to go visit Dad.
I can ask him for money for the groceries.

You have to forget about him.
He's a troublemaker.

He left
because he didn't want you anymore.

He didn't leave me and Tonino.

Just go.

Toni, look.

I'll show you something.

Dad sent this for your birthday.

He added birthday wishes
and his signature,

which is exactly what I need.

Mancuso Fernando.

Was I too harsh with Robertino yesterday?

The truth is, you're always too harsh
with him and too protective towards her.

-So I'm doing everything wrong.
-Shut up, silly.

-Good morning.
-Good morning.

-Here we go. Go or you'll be late.
-All right. Bye, darling.

-Flavia.
-Flavia is here!

Put your feet down.

-I think you forged these signatures.
-My father signed that, last night.

He beat me
because I got the disciplinary note.

Speak Italian, please.

Mr. Headmaster,
I think he's telling the truth.

It's easy enough to check.
We'll call his house and ask.

-What's the number?
-We don't have a phone.

Then your mother or, even better,
you father will have to come here.

Keep still with those hands.
Didn't your father teach you good manners?

-Leave him out of this.
-See how he's talking to me?

So he can talk to me like that
and I can't reply?

He's incorrigible.

We'll have the janitor summon his father,
and then we'll see who signed that.

Come on, give me your address.

Mancuso.

Riccardo?

Riccardo.
Did you hear what the headmaster said?

Mancuso, answer me, for crying out loud!

Riccardo.

Now you'll take a test.

Its purpose is to evaluate your reaction.
Do you know what a reaction is?

-So, do you?
-Do I look like a moron?

Very well. You'll see, it's super easy.

I'll read you some words
and you have to tell me what they mean.

Pusillanimous, do you know what it means?

To deplore.

-Southern.
-It means terrone, just like me.

Why are you giving me a bad note?

That word is offensive,
you mustn't say it.

The results are clear. Mancuso…

has an IQ
way below the test's bare minimum.

This explains his juvenile
and violent behavior,

and his inability to follow
the educational program.

Poor child.

I'm sorry, can you tell me something?
Who came up with these tests?

They come from the U.S.

That explains it.
They're American, but Riccardo is Italian.

-Intellect is the same, here and there.
-I don't agree in the least.

What are you talking about, Giuliano?

My dear Headmaster, I'm trying to tell you
that if you and I were to take this test

the result
might not be quite what you think.

I don't think so.

This test is based on American parameters,
on their social and educational model.

-Social or not, we have to help Mancuso.
-That's right, good.

Keeping him here,
with children more advanced

than him would be cruel.

He can't keep attending our school,

we have to point him
towards a differential class.

No, wait a minute.

His family, they're emigrants from Sicily,
modest people,

they can't even speak Italian.

Which is why a lexicon test
isn't only wrong, but also deeply unfair.

The school's main goal
should be to make itself understood.

If I may, differential classes
were created specifically

to help children with problems,
like Mancuso.

Those classes don't help kids like him.

They put them in a corner
and exclude them forever.

The law is clear,
if he works hard this year,

the next he'll be reintegrated
into his old class.

The reality is very different.
Do you know how it'll go?

Next year, he won't go back to school.

If we turn this child away, this school
will become like those hospitals

that keep the healthy patients
and kicks out the seriously ill ones.

I'm begging you, listen to me.
Father, I'm talking to you too.

We're priming Riccardo Mancuso
for unemployment or worse.

Father Oreste, talk to them.
I'm begging you.

Can I say something? People like you
are only good at criticizing.

If you disagree with this school
and the law, you can just leave.

No.

No, I'm not going anywhere,
I'm staying here,

because I want to change this school.

-Of course.
-You can do it when you're headmaster.

In the meantime, you'll do as I say.

And regarding your peculiar
teaching methods,

I remind you of the ministerial program

you must follow and teach
in the classroom,

not in the yard on a tree,
or in similar places.

Imbecile.

Professor Schaffer, please write down
that we'll start the procedure

to move Mancuso
to the differential classes.

Giuliano isn't completely wrong.

A friend of mine taught
one of those classes for a year.

-It's not all sunshine and rainbows.
-Now, let's talk about Locascio.

Riccardo is going to the stupid class!
Riccardo is going to the stupid class!

That's enough.

Bye, Mancuso.

Bye, Riccardo.

Back to your seats. Come on.

He even wore the smock.

Open up, Flavia. Open, my love.

Open up.

You like it, don't you?

I made the ragù you like so much.

Do you want more sauce?

Robertino, can you turn up the volume?

Leo, look at her.
She's listening to the music. I told you.

It's like she's aware
of what's happening around her, isn't it?

Maybe it's just wishful thinking.

-Let's go!
-Why are you running, Tonino?

Let's go!

Wait up!

Professor?

-Go play over there.
-Hello, Tonino.

What are you doing here?

-I wanted to tell you I'm sorry.
-I know you had nothing to do with it.

They're sending me
to differential classes.

Do you think I'll fit in?

A smart guy like you
would fit in anywhere.

Riccardo, why did you lie to me?
Your father's never worked at that store.

My father ran away from home
two years ago.

Hold on.

Are you ready?

It's for you.

Awesome! The Trojan Wars!

Riccardo, promise me something.

Promise me you'll never stop reading
and studying.

School isn't a place, but a feeling
in your hands, in your head,

and your heart. Promise me.

Two by two.

Come on.

DIFFERENTIAL INSTITUTE
DECEMBER

Let's go.

You're new?

Do you have a cigarette?

I don't like them,
but I was told to bring them

so that you can use them
to pay the janitors. Is that right?

It is, but if they find them,
they'll take them from you.

Give them to me, I'll keep them for you.

Come on!

-What if they see you?
-Why do you speak like that?

Are you a terrone as well?

-I come from Lamezia, in Calabria.
-You got sent here straight from Africa?

In my town, I was good at school.

Then we moved to Turin,
and they made me take that test.

Once you've taken the test,
you're screwed.

-Stop. Say hi to the director.
-Good morning, Director.

Now, the row on the right to Differentials
and the one on the left to Specials.

Where are they sending me?
What are the specials?

It's better if you don't know,
or you'll pee your pants.

Here we go.

Please.

There's some work to be done.

It needs to be repainted,
a thing or two needs to be fixed.

But for what you're spending,
you should be able to cover it easily.

Felice.

Take a look.

Yes, it's just grass and weeds,
but you could turn it into a parking lot.

It's amazing, we'll take it.

-What do you plan to do here?
-A school.

Actually, an after-school institute.

A school? Here?
Who would attend such an institute?

Students repeating a year.

And hopefully,
those who've never attended school.

And those who did go,
but were kicked out by the school.

Basically, dumbasses.

Yes. This will be a school for dumbasses.

Thank God. Flavia's school called,
I have to pick her up.

The school bus broke down.

Don't worry,
I have no husband to answer to.

-What about that navy commander?
-He shipped out.

-Sorry to hear that.
-I'm not.

Out of the uniform, he was worthless.
Go on, run along.

-Goodbye, children.
-Bye.

Excuse me, what's so funny?

Well then,
take out your science textbooks.

Turn to page fifteen.
We'll learn about moss and lichen.

Professor, is it really that hard
to find a boyfriend?

Even for someone as pretty as you?

What kind of question is that?
Ferrari, that's not appropriate.

Professor Giuliano
taught us sex education.

Professor Giuliano?

If the headmaster hears about this…

Can we learn about sex education,
instead of moss and lichen?

Yes, please!

I don't understand
why you're more interested in that

than moss and lichen.

You know what?
Let's learn about sex education.

-Mommy is here. Here comes Mirella.
-Hi, we waited for you.

-I'm sorry, you shouldn't have.
-Don't worry about it, I just got here.

Excuse me, could you lend us a hand?

Darling, let's step aside,
so they can come through.

Easy, step back. There we go.

Have I told you about what Monica said?
She said she really likes Flavia,

because she understands her,
and she smiles sometimes.

I've never asked,
but why did you decide to bring her here?

It's all thanks to the ANFFAS,
it was a big help.

They helped us get into the institute,

otherwise tuition
would have been too much for us.

What's the ANFFAS?

It's an association
that supports families like ours.

Darling, tell her. We could invite Flavia.
We throw parties, sometimes there's music.

I think you should come.
And bring your husband too.

Come on, it's the weight of culture.

-Come in!
-Good morning, the school is here?

Yes! Come on in!

-I'm Felice.
-Nice to meet you, I'm Otello.

-What's your name?
-Primo.

-That's a big name. What's the problem?
-He's failed school twice already.

Got it. Can you help us move this first
and then we'll deal with Primo?

-Again, he's failed twice already.
-Twice, got it.

The last time,
the headmaster said there's no point

in trying to make him study.

-Why?
-It's not his thing.

-He runs away from books!
-Books are important, but not essential.

Here, we've been trying
to do without them.

How is he supposed to study without books?

-He'll study life.
-You don't study life, you live it.

Primo, did you hear your dad?

He just explained to us all
a fundamental philosophical truth.

Listen.

I fix bicycles for a living. I’ve brought
my son to the workshop to help,

but I'm tired of seeing his hands
dirty and stained with grease like mine.

-You see?
-Yes.

If he learned additions and subtractions,
he could at least help with bookkeeping.

And finally, someone in the family
could keep their hands clean.

Can you learn math without books?

Can you? Primo, it kind of depends on you.
What's seven times seven?

Six times five?

Come on, there's a sound to it.
Two times five?

You're a knucklehead.

-He'll never learn!
-Wait a minute now.

So, Primo, I'll give you 500 lire,
which you immediately recognized.

If you come back to school here tomorrow,
I'll give you 500 more on one condition.

-You have to tell me the total amount.
-One thousand lire.

-See?
-It's a miracle! How did you do it?

It was all Primo. Five hundred
for two days equals 1,000 lire.

You'll be a great accountant.
Give me back the money.

Well then, Primo, I still need your help.
Count to three?

-One, two, three.
-Voilà.

What does Italy's shape resemble? A…

A b…

-A boot.
-A boot! Well done, Moretti.

Children, let's all make
a pretty drawing now.

-Why aren't you drawing?
-What is she doing? It's distracting.

Don't pay her any attention.

Can you draw a boot? Good job.

-What are you doing? Out of here now!
-At last!

Get out! Out!

Come in!

-Hello!
-Hello!

Come on in!

Good morning.

You've hung it upside down.

Who said the south
always has to be on the bottom?

You're here because you have issues
with geography, aren't you?

Truth be told,
he's the one we're here to enroll.

-He's a knucklehead!
-Easy!

He graduated from middle school
and can't even write a signature.

If he doesn't learn, we won't even be able
to get a house from the municipality.

No signature, no house?

-Damn.
-Zanellato Eusebio.

-Nice to meet you.
-Hell.

Why didn't my parents give me
a different name?

How do I learn how to spell it?

-It's not hard, come to the blackboard.
-Are you the teacher?

-I try.
-How can I learn a name like that?

E-U-S-E-B-I-O

-Hi.
-Excuse me.

-Good morning.
-Come in, please.

Excuse me.

-My son's name is Paolo.
-I'm Felice.

He's been attending differential classes,
but he's not learning, so I thought…

Does he think this is a hospital?

-I'm sorry. I understand.
-No, don't worry.

Paolo, listen.
Would you like to sit here with us?

Well done. And welcome.

Come here, you scoundrel! Mancuso, stop!

When I get my hands on you,
I'll beat you blind!

Run!

Run!

Salvatore!

-Stop, Mancuso.
-Come on!

Go! You can do it!

-You're done running away.
-No!

-No!
-Take him downstairs.

What are you looking at?
Back to your classrooms.

You too, come on.

Children? Where did you go?

-Hello, Casale.
-Always running, aren't you?

-From one falling star to another!
-Careful not to drop.

Casale?

You've read Kerouac?

Then I have nothing to offer you,
except my own confusion.

And where is your confusion taking you?

To an old warehouse where we set up
a wonderful after-school institute.

For whom?

For whomever can't go to school.
Bye, Casale.

But...

-Good morning.
-Good morning.

What's all this mess?

Felice taught us about King Arthur
and the round table.

Felice. Felice.
You mean Professor Giuliano?

Can we call you Mirella?

What? Everything is upside down already.
That's the last thing we need.

-Yes?
-Your daughter's school on the phone.

Nothing happened this time,
but what if she falls again?

Flavia is usually a tranquil girl.
Maybe she heard something

that caught her attention,
or upset her, and she tried to get up.

Ma'am, the girl doesn't interact.

We talk to her,
but she doesn't understand us.

We were hoping to make some progress,
but we realized there's nothing we can do.

So you want to send her away?

-The girl, what's her name?
-Flavia.

-She has no control over her movements.
-You can't send her away.

Her only friend is here.

And being with other children
changed her life.

At home, we've seen
some incremental reactions.

-Music, for example--
-We're not a music school.

The reactions you see
are coincidental reflexes.

I'm sorry to say this,
but in cases like this

it's wrong to give you false hope.

I understand.
Certainly, I won't stay here and beg you.

Come to Mom. Hold on here.

-Flavia, where are you going?
-Let's go to class now.

Bye, Flavia.

Go inside.

I'm home! There was a picket line
in front of Mirafiori. Hello, princess.

Robertino, the traffic jam was terrible.
Hi, darling.

What's wrong?

The Institute sent Flavia away.

They won't keep her
because she's a danger to others.

They say she can't be controlled.
Can you believe that? Cowards.

I knew it. I was expecting it.
But when you're set on something,

"Let's take her to that institute,"
you said. "I've heard good things."

And now they've kicked her out.

Flavia is different from everybody else.

She's only okay when she's here with us.
We'll take care of her.

-What are you doing? Where are you going?
-Let's go.

-Where? And Flavia?
-She's coming with us.

"Dance school.
Great War Veterans Association."

ANFFAS isn't here.

-I think we have the wrong address.
-The address is right.

There it is!

Mirella, we don't know anybody here.
Flavia is tired, and so am I. Let's go.

She's not tired, look at her.
She loves the music. Come on, let's go.

Let's hope it's not too crowded.

-Good evening.
-Flavia!

Renata invited us.

-Hi, you made it!
-Mom?

-Yes?
-Can I show Flavia around the house?

-Just the two of them?
-Here, it's never just the two of them.

Come on in,
I'll introduce you to everybody.

Raul, my husband.

Nice to meet you, I'm Mirella.

Over there is Doctor Rosa. And Francesca.

-Hi.
-Please, come in, follow me. Here we go.

Why don't you ever come
with the other parents?

-What are those marks on your head?
-Easy.

-How did you get those?
-They beat us, Mom.

-And what did you do?
-Nothing.

Always a liar, like your father.

I can't even rest easy
when you're in here.

Here, your grandmother sent it
from her town.

It's good.

Get me out of here, they keep me
with the idiots. I'll get stupid too.

It's better for you to stay here.
At least they feed you twice a day.

At home, there isn't enough food
for both you and your brother.

Focus on your studies.

Don't end up like me and your father.

If you dare lay your hands on my son
again, I'll eat your heart.

They talk about revolution,
but they don't do anything.

And they want me
to be ashamed for punching in every day

and wearing a tie.

Take the tie off, please.

And they call me a slave
of the system because I wear a tie.

I'd like to see them
with a family and children.

Be honest.
In your opinion, should I not wear a tie?

I love you with or without one.

Excuse me, a moment of attention, please.
At the end of the current month,

the eviction will become executory,
and we will have to leave this location.

I know that it's tiny and inconvenient,
but for a lot of us it was a second home,

a little slice of the world
where we could meet, and talk,

and get to know each other.

But sometimes, landlords pull back
because our children are different.

So I'm asking for your help

to find a new safe haven
where our children can be friends.

We had just found this place.

Do you know what I'd do if I had a plane?
I'd take you and that dumbass,

and take down this fucking net,
so we could escape together.

-That would be amazing.
-It would.

-Mancuso, get away from the net.
-What do you want?

-Get a move on, your father is here.
-My father?

I'll bring him back in a couple hours,
all right?

-Why did you ask for the empty cones?
-My friends at the school love them.

-Good boy.
-I get two cigarettes for each cone.

Nice lie you told to the supervisor.

Yes.

I'd like to have a father like you.

You have a father.

And what's the point?

We never see each other,
he doesn't even know where I am.

-Professor?
-What?

You're going to take me back now?

We'll go take a nice ride on the bike
first, we both need some fresh air.

-Ready?
-Ready.

-Don't drop the ice cream.
-Nope.

-Good to go?
-Yes.

Please, no ice cream on the jacket,
it's the only one I have. Let's go!

Hold on.

Bye.

BEWARE OF THE DOGS

What are you doing here?

What's wrong? Are you cold?

-What the fuck are you doing here?
-Hi, Dad.

-Why are you here?
-I came to see you.

You have to leave now.
If they see you, I'll lose my job.

Why don't you ever come to visit?
You missed Tonino's birthday.

-You know I'm always working.
-And my birthday? It was on a Sunday.

Birthdays, anniversaries,
they're not my thing.

Listen, today is not a good day.
I have to work now.

But one of these days,
I'll come visit. I promise.

I won't be home, they sent me
to a differential boarding school.

Take me with you. I won't go back
to school, and I can work with you.

No, you're too young.

-I know why you don't want us.
-Yeah? Why?

You left me and Tonino
because you have another family.

You have to leave now. Come on.

And don't come looking for me ever again.
It's better for everybody.

Where are you going?

Go away.

What do you want?

Are you lonely?

Come on, let's go.

-Hey!
-Shit.

What's your name? Hey!
Where are you going? Stop!

Come here!

Hey!

S FOR SUCCESS

In 58 BC, give or take,

they didn't exactly schedule it,
Julius Caesar,

in his thirst for glory and conquests,
reaches the territory where the River Po

joins the River Dora, and settles there,

with his army on a land
that was once inhabited

by the Taurini Gaul.

I have a simple question,
who were the Taurini Gaul?

I can feel the answer
on the tip of your tongue, Paolo.

Chicken with horns?

You get a ten for creativity.
Taur, in the Gaul language,

means mountain, so the mountain Gaul.

The Gaul living at the feet
of the mountain. So, they were actually…

-They were the Piedmontese.
-You mean us?

Exactly! The Taurini Gaul
were the Piedmontese of that time.

Your enthusiasm is touching.

All right, changing the subject.
I have a proposition.

Boys and girls, how about next,
you assign me some homework?

But the teacher assigns homework.

That's how it works everywhere else,
but we do things upside down here.

-I'll do it.
-Let's hear it!

You could teach us how to cheat in school.

No cheating in this school,
even if it's a little odd. Next?

-I can give you homework.
-I'm listening.

Can you explain to us who we are?

What kind of question is that?
We all know who we are. I'm Zanellato.

Zanellato Eusebio. I'm 46.
And I work in construction.

-What about you, Paolo?
-I'm Paolo and I work as a kid.

But you don't work as a kid,
you are a kid.

Then why didn't they let me stay
in school with all the other kids?

There I was, talking about Taurini Gaul

and who knows
how long he'd been keeping that inside.

If he asked you, that means he trusts you.

Mirella, tell me, do you like
our after-school institute? The truth.

-I don't know.
-Of course.

I've always believed in rules.

If school was made this way,
why change it?

-It seems a little presumptuous.
-I could tell just fine you don't like me.

For example, why call me by my name
if we're not on first name basis?

And with the children too.
They could be disrespectful.

Professor Casale,
I'm not sure I want their respect.

What do you want then? Their love?

If you don't like this place and myself
so much, why are you here?

Maybe because I'm desperate.

Why did you run away?
You don't like being here with us?

All right, why don't you go to sleep
and get some rest?

Think about what you've done.

Tomorrow, come to my office
and we'll talk about it.

Ribaudo,
the next time you let a child run away,

you needn't bother coming back to work.
Am I making myself clear?

Yes.

-I wish you a good night, children.
-Goodnight, Mr. Director.

What?

Come with me. Turn off the lights
and go to sleep, all of you.

Sleep. There's nothing to see.

-No!
-Lorio, you too. Lights off.

-Come here, I'll show you.
-Why?

Do you want to get me fired?
This is what you get for running away.

No, please!

-Hello, Renata.
-Hi, Mirella.

Why didn't you go in?

Dad, look!

Robertino, get down,
you're going to get hurt.

Truth is, this doesn't seem
like the right place for us.

You've come this far,
you might as well go in.

These people have wonderful ideals,

but our problems can't be fixed
with words and good intentions alone.

Mirella, they're right.
Let's leave this place.

Leo, listen,
Professor Giuliano is special.

This is just a momentary solution
until we find another place.

We believe you, but it would be better
to wait. We're going home now.

I don't want to insist, but--

Mirella, please. Enough.

-Please, give it a shot.
-How do I even get this up there?

I'm afraid of heights.
How do I get up there?

-Felice?
-Who's there?

-Hello, Mirella!
-Hi.

Wow, that's a lot of people!
Is it Christmas Eve dinner?

What a nice surprise!
You'll have to excuse me,

I was trying to set up this for the kids,
but I'm terrible with technology.

You look like someone who knows his stuff.
Take this. You too, help me out.

Come inside, the children are waiting.
I promised I would get the TV working.

The show is live. It won't wait for us.

And the children won't be happy
without the TV. Let's go.

Felice, I wanted to introduce you
to my husband, Leo.

And I gave you the aerial.
What a coincidence.

Hello to all of you! Come inside.
We'll continue the introductions later,

but the show is live and is starting.
Let's go, come on!

-Please.
-That is exactly how I pictured him.

-Please.
-Enough with this circus, let's go.

Come on.

I swear, it's all free. You don't have to
pay for a ticket to come in.

Get a move on with that aerial!

-Can you see?
-No!

-Just a second.
-Turn it to the other side.

Leo, to the right. How about now?

Still nothing.

-Nothing. Turn to the left.
-Wait, right or left?

-We can't see anything!
-There's a lot of people.

-No need to be rude about it!
-Is it working now?

No!

Hit it harder! Hit it again!

-Harder!
-Harder?

-...the singers are I Ricchi e Poveri.
-It's on!

It's working!

It's working!

Are you stuck to those chairs?

Let's give our new friends
a proper welcome.

The kids at the front!
Tall people standing in the back!

Let all the ladies sit.

Come on.

Riccardo, what are you doing?
Are you leaving again?

Let me come with you.

It's tough out there.
You wouldn't make it.

-I can be tough, I promise.
-First, there's something we must do.

-Are you crazy? He'll beat us to death.
-You said you can be tough. Come on.

-What's the water for?
-You'll see.

You're crazy. He'll wake up!

The water is warm enough
that he won't notice. Look.

-He's peeing himself!
-It works every time.

-What's going on? You delinquents!
-Run!

Stop!

I'll make you pay!

-Come here! I got you.
-No!

-Riccardo!
-Let him go!

Run away, Riccardo! Run!

Lock the gates!

-Mancuso is running away!
-Run!

Flavia, try to blow out the candle,
please.

Do you remember what Dr. Malaspina said?

"Blowing will be the first step forward."

Who is it this late?

Mirella, it's for you.

Felice, what are you doing here?

He showed up at my house.

-He ran away from the institute.
-Ran away?

He made me swear not to take him back.

He told me they beat them for everything.
For not studying, sleeping, eating.

I didn't want to believe him,
but he showed me the bruises.

Do his parents know?

His mother put him in there
to have one less mouth to feed.

The institute wants children boarding,
they get contributions for it.

Doesn't he have a father?

The father ditched them
a long time ago, he left.

Mirella, I was thinking…

you could take Riccardo in,
just for two nights,

until I find a solution. Yeah?

Is it her birthday or something?

No, it's an exercise she must do
every day, the doctor said so.

-What exercise?
-She has to blow out the candle.

-That's easy.
-Not for her, but it's important. A test.

Come on, blow it out.

Come on.

She doesn't like it. Damned tests,
and whomever came up with them.

Kitty, where are you going?

Here, come here.
Come here, kitty.

Leave her alone, come here.

-It likes her.
-It's a dumb cat.

How can you have a sister so…

-"So" what?
-So weird.

You're weird too.

I'm the only normal person
in the whole world.

-Everyone else is weird.
-Fine.

TURIN

Goodnight, princess.

-Goodnight, Riccardo. Sleep well.
-Is Felice leaving?

-No, why?
-He's not dumping me here, right?

Of course not. Go to sleep now.

Professor?

If you want,
you could kiss me goodnight too.

Goodnight.

You know what I'd like to do?

Go back, break down the doors
and free all those idiots.

Kitty? Kitty.

Little rascal.

There's nothing to laugh about.

Felice.

-He can't go back there.
-I'll get a bigger room and take him in.

Have you two lost your mind?
The boy already has parents.

His mother is alone,
forced to raise the other little kid too.

And his father left, I told you that.

It doesn't matter,
they're his legitimate tutors.

Do you know what it is called
what you're doing?

-Kidnapping of a minor.
-Kidnapping of a minor.

And you brought him to our house.
Mirella, please. You're a professor.

If this comes out, your career is over.

-What should we do then?
-Act according to the law.

So we take the kid back to his mother,
the one who put him there.

If the institute is so bad,
we just need to report them.

With what proof? The word of a child?
They'd deny everything.

My love, we're a respectable family.
We've always acted properly.

-Listen--
-Excuse me.

Tomorrow,
that kid will be out of my house.

Or I'll be the one leaving.

-I'll get the car.
-All right.

Why does Riccardo have to leave?

-We have to take him to his mother.
-But he wants to stay here.

And I wanted him to,
but he has to go back to his house.

Here.

-They're all for me?
-They're doubles.

-But I have nothing to give you.
-It doesn't matter.

Here, he doesn't want to stay
with me anyway.

And my mom doesn't want animals.

Riccardo.

Riccardo.

Riccardo, we'll talk to your mother.

-Let it go, Professor.
-You won't go back there, trust us.

Hello.

That's him?

-Are you Mancuso Riccardo?
-What's going on, Mom?

-What's going on?
-Who are you?

I was one of his teachers.
My name is Felice Giuliano.

He ran away from the institute.

The director reported it
and we have to take him back.

Did you know they beat him?
How they treat him in that school?

Ma'am, we have orders. I'm sorry.

Can we talk like civil human beings?

-Kindly, step back.
-Can we stop and talk, just a second?

You either step back
or I will have to arrest you, all right?

Thank you.

-Calm down.
-Yeah.

Riccardo, we'll take care of everything,
you'll see.

-Riccardo.
-Riccardo.

You betrayed me, both of you.
You're all the same.

-Riccardo, please.
-Step aside, please.

-Ma'am, you can't let them take him back.
-And where am I supposed to send him?

-To my after-school institute.
-Will he get a diploma there?

-It isn't a recognized school, but--
-He gets one at the institute.

But I'll give him a real education.

That doesn't count, the diploma does.
He won't be like me and his father.

He may complain now,
but one day he'll understand.

He can't go back there,
they beat him. You must understand.

You sent him there,
that's the only school left for him.

Wait a minute, ma'am, please wait.

You have a job and a real house.
It's easy to talk.

She's right.

She's absolutely right.

And here I wanted
to turn the world upside down.

Felice, wait. It's not your fault.

The machine is too strong.
It's made of steel.

And if you try to stop it,
if you get in the way, it'll crush you.

Yes, but--

Even worse, it will crush the people
who love you, who trusted you.

Felice, please. We can help him.

-You and me?
-Yes.

Casale, come on.

-Come on.
-No, please.

-We'll make you wish you'd never left.
-Please, no.

I want to go to the dormitory.

-We have to stop at the infirmary.
-Let me go!

I'm not sick! I'm not sick!

You're grading papers at this hour?

It's what I'm good at, isn't it?
Grading papers, assigning homework.

It's what you want me to do.

I didn't know
what was going to happen to that boy.

Save it.

-Let's go to bed.
-Leave me alone.

We did the right thing.
What other choice did we have?

No.

We didn't do the right thing,
and you know it.

We followed the rules
like mindless soldiers.

Even though we knew it was wrong.

You think this is just about Riccardo,
but it isn't. It's about Flavia too.

-She has nowhere to go.
-She had a school and they sent her away.

-Flavia is better off at home.
-You know she's not. Can't you see it?

She needs to go out and see the world,
listen to people, and meet other children.

Mom, Dad! You need to see this!

Flavia, you're petting the kitten.

My love, well done. Good job.

-How is it possible?
-It was Riccardo, he gave her the cat.

Is Felice here? He wasn't at his house.

-Yes, but he isn't feeling well. Sorry.
-I don't care.

Felice.

-Felice.
-Professor Casale, what do you want?

To turn the world upside down.

Can we get coffee first?

What do you want?

-We want to see the director.
-Who should I announce?

-We want to talk about Mancuso.
-Wait, you can't just walk in.

Go tell him
we want to talk about Mancuso.

-You have to wait here.
-We're not going anywhere.

I'll say it again,
the boy claims that he is

being mistreated in this place,
beaten even.

Please, how can you believe the word
of a child and such a lively one at that.

You go that way, I'll check upstairs.

I know that boy very well.

He was in my class for a year
and I know he was telling the truth.

Mr. Director, we know
that children tend to exaggerate.

We just wanted
to know how Riccardo was doing.

-We wanted to see him.
-But of course, just not today.

Send me a written request

and I promise you will be able
to check every room.

-Now, if you'll excuse me.
-Mirella, Felice! Come upstairs!

I think we'll stick around
a little longer.

What are you doing?
Where are you going? Ribaudo!

-Ribaudo!
-Mr. Director?

-Run after them!
-Of course.

Look.

-Barbiturate, anxiolytic, what's in here?
-What are you doing? Don't touch.

-Do you use this on the children?
-Felice, Mirella! Come here!

Don't you dare touch me. Out of the way.

Riccardo?

Riccardo? Oh my God.
What have they done to you?

It must have been one of his friends.
See? They're made of plastic.

-Plastic?
-Director, tell them. It's just a game.

I didn't know anything about this.

Ribaudo,
the dormitory is your responsibility.

Riccardo, look at me. Who did this to you?

It was him.

-Who?
-Him.

-If I didn't, he'd run away again.
-So you shackle him? Have you no shame?

The handcuffs are fake, I told you.
It's a game. I play with my kids too.

Give me the key. The key!

Or I'll call the police.

Linda, keep taking pictures
of these gentlemen.

Congratulations, Director.
Congratulations.

No pictures!

-Come on, buddy. We're leaving now.
-Go with Felice.

Come on. Can you make it?
What did you give him?

You should be ashamed of yourself.

It's just a game.

-I'm coming too.
-No! You're staying here with me.

First of all, hands off.
He's coming with me.

-I'll press charges.
-Do as you please.

I will!

Enough with the pictures!

Riccardo, it's me, Felice.
Do you recognize me? Talk to me.

Professor? Do you have a cigarette?

What now?
If we take him back to his mother,

the police will be waiting for us
and we'll start all over again.

His mother wants him
to go to school and she's right.

He doesn't have a school.

You're right, he doesn't.

And neither do they.

Look, I don't know what we can do
for these children.

You know that imagination
isn't my strong suit.

But it is yours.

Follow your creativity.

R. MARTINO
MIDDLE SCHOOL

Thank you.

Good morning, Professor.
You're late today and you've got mail.

-Give me a hand here, please.
-Right away.

What are you doing here?
They kicked you out. You can't get in.

He's with me.

-But Professor--
-I'll take full responsibility. Let's go.

-Mirella, what's going on?
-You'll see.

Professor, can you give this to her?
Make her come to her senses.

If the headmaster finds out
she's let that lunatic back in…

Good morning, Professor.

Morning. Ettore,
you shouldn't sleep in the workplace.

Hello, may I speak with the headmaster?

Come in.

Professor, I apologize
for the interruption, but I need a moment.

No worries.

Children, look who's back.

Do you remember Riccardo?

That's Monica, Domenico,
and this is Flavia, my daughter.

-Say hi.
-Hi!

Flavia is 12, just like you,
but she's never attended a normal school.

Flavia is sick.

It was a virus.
An encephalitis damaged her brain.

So she's always been home
with her family, surrounded by love.

A lot of love.

But alone.

So I want to ask you,

would you be the people you are today
if you'd spent all your life at home…

alone?

Riccardo came to our home.

And thanks to him, for the first time,
Flavia showed some reaction.

What does that mean?

That we can turn on the light,

even for children
with handicaps much worse than hers.

But in order to do so,
somebody must push that button.

So I'm asking you to welcome
Flavia, Riccardo, Domenico,

and Monica among you.

Professor Casale, what are you doing?

Mr. Headmaster,
I would like for this school

to accept my daughter.

-Even if we wanted to, we can't.
-There's an act, Act 118.

It applies to the legally disabled,
not to children.

But if the children
and their parents agree, it could be done.

You would need
the headmaster's permission.

My permission.

I'm sorry, but it cannot be done.

Please, take these children away.
Ettore, show them the way.

Mr. Headmaster, listen…

Please. Can you stop?

-Mr. Headmaster?
-Professor, please.

You heard the headmaster.
Please, head to the exits.

Yes, thank you, Ettore. We know the way.

Professor, you're not gonna leave
and abandon us now, are you?

No, of course not.

Mirella. Mirella.
Your letter. It's from the Ministry.

Mr. Headmaster.

-What do you want?
-Here.

What is this?

The results of my exam.
I'd forgotten about it.

I'm your new headmistress.

So you're the boss now.

-Can we take the smocks off?
-Yes.

-Everybody out!
-Come on!

-To school!
-Open up!

SCHOOL YEAR 1971-1972

-Come on, everybody!
-Let's go, kids!

Look at how nice it is!

-Hi, Mirella.
-Welcome.

-Hi, Mirella.
-Go say hi.

Come in.

-Good morning, Mrs. Headmistress.
-Hello. Paolo, sit here.

So, Paolo, this is Giorgio.
Giorgio, this is Paolo.

-Mrs. Headmistress?
-Yes.

-There are people here to see you.
-I'll be right there.

Keep going, come on.

Listen, you either remove
those subnormal children from the class,

or we'll take ours away.

-First of all, good morning.
-Good morning.

I want to reassure you
that things will go back to normal

in the next few days,

and that everybody will benefit
from this experiment.

Those children slow down
the rest of the class, it's self-evident.

We've been forced to send
a letter to the superintendent.

If you want to pull your children out,
you're free to do so.

But I want to remind you
that you're not damaging the school,

but yourselves.

Now, if you'll excuse me,
several things await my attention.

NATIONAL ANFFAS CONVENTION

I'll give the floor
to Professor Mirella Antonione Casale,

from the Turin branch.

Mirella, come on.

Good morning,
I want to thank you all for…

I apologize, but I'm not used
to talking from up here.

I'm used to talking
to my students this way.

-Can you see?
-Yes.

Take a look.

We'll all get a turn.

One at a time.

It's nice, isn't it?

Riccardo, take a look.

Can I see too?

Paolo!

All of us have to fight…

and ask for the abolition
of special and differential classes,

in order to introduce our children
into regular classes.

-That's what we need to do.
-Well said!

It's what we did in my school.
I thought I was the only one, but I'm not.

It's happening everywhere,
Milan, Palermo, Florence.

Parents and teachers joining forces.

-Enough with the blood. Enough.
-It'll pass in a second, don't worry.

-I'm scared.
-There's no need to be scared. Ettore.

Professor Casale, may I?

I'm Aldo Zelioli, I work
at the Ministry of Public Instruction.

I really wanted to meet you.

Everybody in Rome is talking
about your work in Turin.

Really?

Senator Falcucci is thinking about turning
what you've already been doing into law.

Including disabled children
in regular classes,

one or two at a time,
with the help and support of teachers.

That's why your experiment
is so important.

You understand, the smallest mistake
could ruin everything.

But at the same time, your success
could be a model for others.

I should have been more careful.

Nothing bad happened,
that's what matters.

Yes, but those parents
are using the accident

to prove
that integration can be dangerous,

and they've called the superintendent.

-The superintendent was here?
-I don't know how to tell you this.

He said that the only solution
is to interrupt the experiment.

He said that the handicapped children
must stay here, in this special section.

And he ordered
for this gate to stay locked.

Locked? This can't be.

Paolo? Paolo? Paolo?

How are you?

Was this my fault?

No, sweetheart. It wasn't your fault.

-Where are the keys?
-The superintendent has them.

Out.

Everybody out of the classrooms!
Come on! Felice!

Felice!

Ready? All right, children.
On my three, we'll pull together.

One, two, three!

Again! Again! Come on!

Don't give up! Like at the Bastille!
One, two, three!

From today,
in the shade of the Trojan walls…

there will be no more fear.

Only joy, parties, and freedom.

-You look really good with curls.
-I've always had curly hair.

Felice, I must ask you something.
Forgive me, but I must.

Is it true that you were in prison?

-For three years?
-No, I was three.

What did you do?

Me? Nothing. My poor mom
smuggled contraband cigarettes.

They caught her
and sent her to the Regina Coeli prison.

-And me with her.
-Poor thing.

Flavia, my love.

Look at the nice cake we made for you.

Today is your birthday.

Would you like to try
and blow out the candles?

I just know that tonight you'll blow out
every last one of them.

Flavia.

She doesn't like candles.

So are we going to
blow them out or not? Everybody!

Come on!

The parliamentary committee
led by Franca Falcucci in 1975

led to the approval of act 517
on August 4th 1977

which ordered disabled children
to be integrated in regular school.

That year Casale was appointed
by the ministry

as coordinator for integration in Turin.

The film is loosely based on Casale's
work for disabled children.

Details might have been changed.

Any reference to people, places
and events is purely coincidental.

It's estimated that, in Rome alone,
the maladjusted children

increased by 1,000 from 1968 to 1969.

But differential classes
exacerbate this dysfunction

instead of balancing it,
since they isolate the weak

without giving them
the tools to redeem themselves.

There is no point in analyzing this water.
The drainage of the area collects here,

it pollutes the river Tiber,
which, in turn, pollutes the sea.

The municipality could fence the creek,
and hang a sign saying, "No bathing,"

but it would be pointless.
These undisciplined children

would make a hole in the fence
and steal the sign.

A sign and barbed wire
can't make up for the lack of pools.

Even maladjusted people understand that.

Children will swim
in the waters available to them.

KIDS AND US
LUIGI COMENCINI - 1970

Sottotitoli: Daniela Andrea Chacón