In this gentle coming-of-age drama set in the mid-’60s, a nerdy boy named Peppino living in Naples is forced to wrestle with several familial issues. His mother Rosaria (this year’s honoree Valeria Golino) has discovered that her husband is having an affair while his significantly older siblings are encountering the Age of Aquarius in their respective ways, providing little guidance. Nor does Peppino find the best role model in his nutty cousin Gennaro, who believes he’s Superman, but the older boy’s individualistic outlook helps the youngster find his own way. With an expertly balanced tone and vivid performances, Kryptonite! is a beguiling depiction of a young man finding his inner strength amid a very chaotic household.


Written by Ivan Cotroneo, Monica Rametta, Ludovica Rampoldi. Photographed by Luca Bigazzi. With Valeria Golino, Cristiana Capotondi, Luca Zingaretti, Libero De Rienzo. 98 min. In Italian with subtitles. RAI Trade.