Christ Stopped at Eboli (film)

Christ Stopped at Eboli (Italian: Cristo si è fermato a Eboli), also known as Eboli in the United States,^[3] is a 1979 drama film directed by Francesco Rosi, adapted from the book of the same name by Carlo Levi. It stars Gian Maria Volonté as Levi, a political dissident under Fascism who was exiled in the Basilicata region in Southern Italy.

Christ Stopped at Eboli
French poster for the film
Directed by	Francesco Rosi
Written by	Francesco Rosi Tonino Guerra Raffaele La Capria
Produced by	Nicola Carraro Franco Cristaldi
Starring	Gian Maria Volonté Paolo Bonacelli Alain Cuny Lea Massari Irene Papas François Simon
Cinematography	Pasqualino De Santis
Edited by	Ruggero Mastroianni
Music by	Piero Piccioni
Production companies	Rai 2 Vides Cinematografica Action Films
Distributed by	Titanus (Italy) Gaumont Distribution (France)
Release date	23 February 1979 (1979-02-23)
Running time	150 minutes (1979 theatrical release) 220 minutes (uncut TV version)
Countries	Italy France
Language	Italian
Box office	$82,126[1][2]

The film was shown out of competition at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival^[4] and was the first to receive a BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1983.^[5]

It was included in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.^[6]

Plot

Carlo Levi is a painter and writer from Turin. He also has a degree in medicine but has never practised it. Arrested in 1935 by Mussolini's regime for anti-fascist activities, he is confined to Aliano (Gagliano in the novel), a remote town in the region of Lucania, the southern 'instep' of Italy, known today as Basilicata. While the landscape is beautiful, the peasantry are impoverished and mismanaged. They are superstitious and insular; many have emigrated to the United States in search of employment. Since the local doctors are not interested in treating peasants, Levi begins to minister to their health in response to their appeals, establishing a strong relationship with the community.

Principal cast

• Gian Maria Volonté as Carlo Levi
• Paolo Bonacelli as Don Luigi Magalone
• Alain Cuny as Baron Nicola Rotunno
• Lea Massari as Luisa Levi
• Irene Papas as Giulia Venere
• François Simon as Don Traiella
• Antonio Allocca as Don Cosimino

Production

The film was mostly shot in Basilicata in the villages of Craco, Guardia Perticara, Aliano and La Martella, near Matera. Other scenes were filmed in Gravina in Puglia and Santeramo in Colle, Apulia.^[7]

Reception

Critical response

Christ Stopped at Eboli has an approval rating of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 10 reviews and an average rating of 8.10/10.^[8] AllMovie rated the film 4 stars out 5.^[9]

Accolades

Award	Category	Recipient	Result	Year	Ref
Chicago International Film Festival	Best Feature	Francesco Rosi	Nominated	1979	[10]
David di Donatello	Best Film		Won	1979	[11]
	Best Director	Francesco Rosi	Won		[11]
Nastro d'Argento	Best Supporting Actress	Lea Massari	Won	1979	[12]
Moscow International Film Festival	Golden Prize	Francesco Rosi	Won	1979	[13]
National Board of Review	Top Foreign Film		Won	1980	[14]
French Syndicate of Cinema Critics	Best Foreign Film	Francesco Rosi	Won	1981	[15]
BAFTA Awards	Best Foreign Language Film	Francesco Rosi	Won	1983	[5]