11/08/2026 - The new film by Salvatore Mereu, inspired by an Alberto Capitta novel, whisks us away into a fantastical world where wounded creatures take refuge while seeking freedom

Italian director Salvatore Mereu, known especially for his talent in portraying his native Sardinia, presents his mysterious and moving latest film, Wandering Trees, in the International Competition of the Locarno Film Festival. The movie is loosely adapted from a novel by Italian writer, director and actor Alberto Capitta.

The incredible tale told in the film, a kind of family saga tinged with fantasy, is that of two rival clans: the Arcas and the Nonnes. The Arca family is made up of Pietro (Alessandro Haber) and his son Giuliano (Romeo Perrone), who live alone on a farm on the outskirts of the city, tending to wounded animals and dreaming of a world where humans and animals can live together peacefully, respecting one another. The Nonnes are a warped mirror image of the former. Sebastiano (Massimo Popolizio), a prominent local figure and avid hunter, and his son Michelangelo (Lorenzo Richelmy) embody a strain of toxic masculinity that tolerates no weakness or tenderness. Caught between these two opposing worldviews is Emilio (Edoardo Raiola), Michelangelo’s brother, a dreamy, artistically inclined boy who nurtures a friendship with Giuliano that is deemed “indecorous”. To safeguard the family’s honour, the Nonnes set themselves a goal: to wipe out the Arcas once and for all.

Like modern-day Capulets and Montagues, the Arcas and the Nonnes clash to defend their vision of the world, one they will never be able to share. That is, until the farm animals are killed and Pietro disappears, forcing his son to set off in search of him. From this moment on, the film shifts, progressively moving into a fantastical dimension, as if Giuliano’s mind, deprived of his mountain oasis, had no choice but to seek refuge in dreams. The paradise that takes shape, populated by a small community of abandoned children, refugees from a world that doesn’t exist, sits halfway between reality and make-believe.

The third family involved in this saga is the Brancas, who appear in the final part of the film. They include three independent sisters, among them Maddalena (Giulia Maenza), and a father (Alberto Cracco), who is an understanding and broad-minded notary, representing the meeting point between the Arcas’ radicalism and the Nonnes’ unyielding violence.

During his quest to find his father, Giuliano meets Maddalena, and it is love at first sight for both. The problem is that she is engaged to Michelangelo Nonne, although she has realised she does not truly love him. Giuliano then decides to hide away with her in that magical place that perhaps exists only in his dreams.

Wandering Trees is a deeply affecting fable about the difficulty of being oneself within a society that would rather see us docile, good little soldiers who follow the rules without asking too many questions. The courage and resolve with which Giuliano pursues his dream of living in a world where difference is no reason for exclusion strikes a profound chord. Amidst hope and despair, Wandering Trees speaks of those who cannot put down roots and are forced to wander the world aimlessly, hiding in dark corners just to catch their breath.

Wandering Trees was produced by Italy’s Viacolvento and Rai Cinema. TVCO and Minerva Pictures are handling its international sales.

(Translated from Italian)