The Cardboard Village (2011)

Genres - Drama  |   Sub-Genres - Religious Drama  |   Run Time - 87 min.  |   Countries - Italy  |   MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Mark Deming

A man of God tends to the needy against the orders of the church hierarchy in this allegorical drama from veteran Italian filmmaker Ermanno Olmi. An elderly priest (Michael Lonsdale) who has spent nearly all his adult life presiding over the same congregation, is shocked and heartbroken when he receives word that the church is being shut down and he's forced to move on. The priest is not sure what to do when a number of illegal immigrants find their way into the church after being chased by police. Though the priest tells the intruders that the building is being shut down, one of them is pregnant and soon to give birth, while another is injured and needs medical care and a place to rest. Putting his calling ahead of his orders, the priest allows them to stay, and soon the immigrants have built a number of shelters from scrap cardboard, making a sanctuary from the violence and chaos outside. Also starring Rutger Hauer, Massimo De Francovich and Alessandro Haber, Il Villaggio di Cartone (aka The Cardboard Village) received its North American premiere at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival.

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Keywords

church, congregation, injury, pregnancy, priest, sanctuary, shelter