Allusions In Stolen Children

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Stolen Children is a Gianni Amelio’s magnum opus and a tragic salute to neorealism. The film follows a carabinieri, Antonio, who was assigned to escort two southern orphans in northern Italy to a Catholic orphanage, but when that proved to be unsuccessful, he took it in his hands to escort the children back to southern Italy. Gianni, much like De Sica, explores the issue of failed institutions that are fundamental to a contemporary society or an individual in need of help. When these central institutions, such as the church or law, begin to deteriorate, so does the community that relies on them. He also makes a point of criticizing post-modern institutions, such as the role of media in current society and its socio-cultural impact. This criticism begins the fundamental conversation, postmodern society should concern itself with to improve one’s present civilization. Amelio places an immense focus on intertextuality in this film as an homage to the end of the neorealistic era. He particularly references one of the leading figures of the neorealistic movement, Vittorio De Sica, and his film Bicycle Thief. The title, Stolen Children, and the main character’s name, Antonio, are an allusion of Bicycle Thief. Through Amelio’s choice of allusions, …show more content…

Amelio exhibits the stereotypical opposition between the north and the south through the voyage. The film begins in the housing projects of suburban Milan and ending in Gela on the southeast coast of Italy. There is an untold tale that takes place before the beginning and that is the parent’s trek on the “path of hope” (Marcus 158). This is the expedition of Sicilian immigrants looking for a better life in the industrial centers of Milan. The family’s life in Milan before the arrest is a saga of disappointment, alienation, and

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