SIBLINGS

Synopsis

Irene is trying to build her own life in Rome when she is forced to return to Rimini, her hometown, to care for Omar, her 40-year-old autistic brother. She discovers that Omar is very clear when it comes to his future: he really doesn’t want to live with her when their parents die.
He convinces Irene to hold an intensive adulthood course for him that will enable him to be independent, but more importantly, to fulfill his dreams, such as participating in the talent show that will make him a famous singer.

Statement of the director

When I came across the story of Damiano and Margherita Tercon, I was literally struck by it – I felt it had enormous emotional potential, and I immediately knew I wanted to tell it as a director.
Although I don’t have a brother with a disability, I grew up in a dysfunctional family (like so many people), which made it easy for me to empathise with the family at the centre of the film. I believe that even those who have not experienced disability first-hand can find a piece of themselves in the family dynamics portrayed in the story.
I want the audience to understand Irene’s point of view – a “sibling” destined to become her brother’s caregiver, who grows up with the mission of disturbing her parents as little as possible, since they are constantly busy taking care of her brother with a disability. I also want Omar’s perspective to emerge clearly – his way of seeing the world, and the struggles of living with a disability while being constantly compared to a “normal” sister.
The film addresses the issue of disability, but for me, it was crucial that it didn’t overshadow the entire story – just as for the protagonist, his disability is only one of the many traits that define him as a person.
We explored themes such as caregiving for people with disabilities and the “after us” dilemma that haunts many families in this situation, trying to handle them with delicacy but also with great honesty – the same honesty that defines the relationship between the two siblings, making the story authentic and free of any rhetoric.
We chose Yuri Tuci to play the lead role not because he is autistic, but because he is a phenomenal actor. I was mesmerised by his charisma when I saw him perform his stage monologue ‘Out is Me’, and I realised he could truly portray a character very different from himself, thanks to the skills he has honed over years of theatre – combined, of course, with his immense talent.