They Call Me Jeeg (Lo Chiamavano Jeeg Robot)

Showings

Vogue Theatre Fri, Nov 18, 2016 6:30 PM
Film Info
Category:Competition
Country:Italy
Year:2015
Running Time:112 min.
Language:Italian
Credits
Director:Gabriele Mainetti
Producer:Gabriele Mainetti
Screenwriter:Nicola Guaglianone
Menotti
Cinematographer:Michele D’Attanasio
Editor:Andrea Maguolo
Music:Michele Braga
Gabriele Mainetti
Cast:Claudio Santamaria
Luca Marinelli
Stefano Ambrogi
Ilenia Pastorelli
Maurizio Tesei
Francesco Formichetti
Daniele Trombetti
Antonia Truppo
Gianluca Di Gennaro

Description

Imagine if Scarface met the Hulk. Enzo (Claudio Santamaria), an introverted ex-con from the outskirts of Rome, takes an unexpected dip in the grossly polluted Tiber River and emerges with superpowers. He discovers his new powers when he survives being pushed from a nine-story building after a nasty job goes south. Enzo welcomes supernatural strength that might allow him to go from being a low-level bad buy to a high-level bad guy. But first he has to start using his head. For example, he nimbly pulls an ATM machine out of a concrete wall, only to discover that dislodging the machine activated dye that covers the bills. If he’s going to climb the crime ladder, he’ll have to learn to out-muscle and outsmart the really bad guys—lead by Fabio (Luca Marinelli), a maniacal boss (think Johnny Depp on amphetamines). While keeping an eye on Fabio, Enzo encounters Alessia (Ilenia Pastorelli), the daughter of a buddy who died during the botched job. An unbalanced woman with a penchant for Japanese anime, Alessia becomes convinced that Enzo is the hero from the famous Japanese comic strip and TV series “Steel Jeeg” after he rescues her from Fabio. This explosive, action-packed gangster drama features an unexpected morality tale and a quirky love story. Gabriele Mainetti’s debut feature film blasts off of the screen with Italy’s newest superhero; fasten your seat belt, it’s well worth the ride. Winner of the 2016 David di Donatello for: Best Debut Director, Best Producer, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Ilenia Pastorelli), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Claudio Santamaria), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Antonia Truppo), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Luca Marinelli), and Best Editor. [Please note, this excellent film contains violent scenes.]

About the filmmaker

Gabriele Mainetti was born in Rome and graduated in Film History and Criticism from the University La Sapienza in Rome. He then attended the NYU Tisch School of the Arts in New York. He started his acting career in a number of TV shows, while writing successful screenplays, such as the short Basette (2008), which he also directed and presented in over 50 festivals, winning awards for Best Short at La25a Ora Festival and a special mention for its Screenplay and Best Actor at the Nastri d’Argento. His short film Tiger Boy won the Nastro d’Argento in 2013, while They Call Me Jeeg (2016) received seven David di Donatello awards, including Best Producer and Best New Director.