- Release year: 2025
- Director: Danny Biancardi, Stefano La Rosa, and Virginia Nardelli.
- Producers: Clothilde Bunod, Adrien Louis, Nadège Labé, Michele Aiello, Matteo Calore, Stefano Collizzolli, Andrea Segre, and Sara Zavarise.
- Music by: Marek Hunhap.
Synopsis: a group of kids reforms a room from an abandoned kindergarten to have their own personal space.
Shotgun Commentary: wholesome and melancholic reminder of what it’s like to be a kid.
and Virginia Nardelli; 2025).
Review
Il Castello Indistruttibile, Italian for “the indestructible castle”, is a documentary that follows a group of children who form their own oasis in a community drowning in violence and discontent. Not only is this a piece that speaks of childhood’s mysteries and struggles, but also one that highlights the influence an environment can have on the youngest.
Why we can’t have nice things
The documentary begins with three kids exploring an old nursery, now bare concrete and gravel, filled with rubbish all over. One of them decides to turn one of the room into their “house”. A place for the trio to spend their time together, away from the realities that surround them everywhere else. This bubble of safety is threatened at first by other children. Boys that are way more violent and aggressive than the one boy that is part of that trio, Angelo.
The confrontation leads Angelo to go into a deep existential crisis. A moment of anxiety that doesn’t last long in the surface, as it often happens with children, but that hints at an alienation that is likely to stay with him throughout his whole life if it remains unchecked.
and Virginia Nardelli; 2025).
This particular moment is really special, moving anyone in the audience who might have felt different growing up. Living in a society comes with a certain set of expectations for everyone and, while some might feel the crushing weight of these prospects more than others, everyone can relate with the struggle up to a point.
Children worry too
Angelo expresses his worries, hopes and dreams in a beautiful manner. One that sounds incredibly poetic, but simple enough to not make you think it’s scripted. This manner of speaking can also be found in his friends: Mary, Rosy and Giada. One of which joins the group later on.
However, their topics of conversations are far from Angelo’s concerns. Instead, they discuss the events that take place in town, the state and dynamics of their households, and their position in society. They do so with a dexterity and insight that will definitely surprise any and all adults that have forgotten what it’s like to be a child.
The thing is, children might not understand everything consciously, but they do register it. Even the things they don’t fully comprehend weigh on them. This documentary is a great reminder of this phenomenon, one that all adults, especially parents, would do well to keep safely stored in their brains.
and Virginia Nardelli; 2025).
These girls are aware of what is expected of them and refuse to make the same mistakes as their mothers. Not because they don’t love or respect them, but because they have witnessed the pain of these choices and do not want to inflict that experience on future generations.
The context
Both the issues in their personal lives and their community are addressed. This gives you a full picture of the kids’ situation and of the reason that has led them to clean up a room in ruins only to put some abandoned furniture in and pretend it is their home.
Their town is violent and dangerous, people die every day and need to come to terms with that at a very young age, which makes their little oasis not only a great idea but a necessary one. All children need a safe haven in their lives, and watching this kids create their own is as heartbreaking as it is inspiring.
All in all, Il Castello Indistruttibile is a fantastic documentary that comments on the dire situation of certain areas of Sicilia as well as speaking volumes of the ingenuity and resilience that children ear capable of. A fantastic experience for all documentary lovers.
You can watch Il Castello Indistruttibile in London this Saturday at 15:30 in the 4th Cinecittà Italian Doc Season!
Advice to take from this movie:
- Never underestimate a kid’s mind.
- You are never too young to squat.
- Change can hurt, but it is necessary.
and Virginia Nardelli; 2025).
What’s your take? Have you watched Il Castello Indistruttibile? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀