Ginostra 2002

On a remote island, Benson [Harvey Keitel] is entrusted with protecting an 11-year-old boy whose father had appealed for protection in exchange for testifying against a local mobster, Manzella [Maurizio Nicolosi]. The film’s style is deliberately ambiguous, and crucial details emerge mainly through dialogue between the characters, so much of what happens only becomes clear after later scenes unfold. The island’s remoteness and the boy’s fragile trust set the tone for a tense drama that blends restraint with mounting danger.

Geography itself becomes a character: fresh water must be shipped in from the mainland, and the main settlement sits near a hidden mountain where a convent of nuns operates, with Asia Argento as The Nun. They produce what appears to be wine and seasonings from native plants, and the building’s heat comes from the island’s active volcano, giving the setting a simmering, almost otherworldly atmosphere.

Benson’s efforts to coax the boy to talk about his father’s murder are thwarted by the boy’s desire for revenge. The boy may have witnessed the killing or knows crucial details, triggering a tense cat-and-mouse chase between Manzella and the boy. The investigation is further complicated by a local police force infiltrated by Manzella’s organization, revealing how the father was betrayed.

Romance adds a further layer of tension: Jessie, Andie MacDowell, is staying on the island with Benson and their young daughter. Because the case is shrouded in secrecy, Benson cannot fully explain their purpose, straining their marriage. Jessie regards the boy as her own and strives to keep him occupied while her husband and the local police pursue their leads against the mobster.

Midway through the story, detective Giovanni Gigli, Stefano Dionisi, reveals that the authorities are powerless to arrest Manzella because he enjoys broad support within Naples, making a daylight arrest too dangerous. The tension between duty and community loyalty threads through every decision, and the island’s isolation amplifies every risk as the pursuit escalates toward an uncertain conclusion.