Directed by Vittorio De Seta, Bandits of Orgosolo is an Italian neorealist drama set in rural Sardinia, following a shepherd forced into a desperate flight after being wrongly accused of a crime. Using non-professional actors and location shooting, the film portrays hardship, poverty, and social isolation within Sardinian pastoral life. The film is widely recognized as a significant example of late Italian neorealism and regional realist cinema.

A Sardinian peasant is suspected of murder following an encounter with bandits. In order to survive, he has no option but to turn to banditry himself. Winning multiple awards at the Venice Film Festival, Bandits of Orgosolo continues the traditions of Visconti and De Sica yet with his own style and rhythms Vittorio De Seta musters just as much power as the earlier masters. This release includes De Setas remarkable short film programme The Lost World comprising his Cannes Film Festival award-winning short film Islands of Fire and others which survey Italys poorest communities. Despite awards and plaudits on release these incredible films only now make their English language debut on home video. Upon release, Bandits moved Martin Scorsese to observe: It was as if De Seta were an anthropologist who spoke with the voice of a poet.

Från IMDB:
Sardinian shepherds Michele, Peppeddu encounter bandits. Michele evades police, sheep perish. Wrongly charged with murder, impoverished, Michele turns outlaw. He resorts to violence, banditry for survival, fueling a lawless spiral.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Disc 1: New 4K restoration from the original camera negative by The Film Foundation and Cineteca di Bologna at LImmagine Ritrovata laboratory, in association with Titanus with funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation

New interview with cinematographer Luciano Tovoli (2024, 28 mins)

New interview with curator and filmmaker Ehsan Khos