The Cézanne Affair (L'uomo nero)

Prominent actor-director Sergio Rubini (Manual of Love 2 IFF07) returns to his native region of Puglia to tell the story of a frustrated stationmaster who dreams of being an artist, set against the backdrop of 1960s Italy and with a stunning score by Nicola Piovani (Life is Beautiful).

When Gabriele (Fabrizio Gifuni, Brave Men, IFF09) returns to a town near Bari in southern Italy to farewell his ageing father Ernesto (Rubini), memories of his childhood are reawakened: his upbringing by his loving mother (Valeria Golino, Giulia Doesn't Go Out At Night, IFF09), his Don Juan of an uncle (Riccardo Scamarcio) and his father's irascibility and exasperation over thwarted attempts to realise his artistic ambitions. Ernesto was convinced he was destined to become a famous painter and was willing to sacrifice everything for his belief in his own talent, even his pride but Gabriele is determined not to turn out like his father.

It is only now that, years later, through chance and circumstances, Gabriele begins to understand Ernesto and to see what sort of person his father really was. This enjoyable drama is Sergio Rubini's tenth feature film as a director.