Bread from Heaven
For the first time, the film Pane dal cielo (Bread from Heaven), directed and produced by Giovanni Bedeschi, is being shown in theaters. The movie addresses the themes of poverty and homelessness.
The story is set in Milan, a city with 13,000 homeless people, the highest number in Italy, where the national total is approximately 60,000 (ISTAT data, 2015). The screening will take place as part of the Festival Aquerò, lo Spirito del Cinema, a film festival dedicated to spiritual cinema, on Saturday, February 10, at 6 PM, at the San Fedele Auditorium in Milan. Following the screening, there will be a discussion with the director, actress Paola Pitagora, and Father Maurizio Annoni, President of Opera San Francesco for the Poor. A second screening is scheduled for Sunday, February 18, at 9 PM at the Don Bosco Cinema Theater in Carugate.
The story revolves around two homeless individuals living near the Milan Greco-Pirelli station. On Christmas Eve, they find a newborn baby in a dumpster. The two bring the baby to the nearest pediatric hospital, where they witness something extraordinary: none of the doctors or nurses can see the baby. The newborn appears invisible—but not to everyone. The story unfolds around a child visible only to certain individuals, including a wealthy, generous woman named Ada (Paola Pitagora) and Ruben (Gigi Piola), who shares the same living conditions as Lilli (Donatella Bartoli) and Annibale (Sergio Leone). For many, the child is merely a delusion of the minds of these marginalized individuals. What creates this difference between people? The film explores why only some can see the baby and what creates this difference among people. It becomes evident that the baby carries a powerful message that spreads rapidly, sparking change. The message touches unexpected hearts, even those of individuals who appear materialistic or responsible for injustices in modern society. For Annibale, Lilli, and many others, the baby offers a new opportunity. Eventually, as mysteriously as he appeared, the baby disappears, leaving behind the certainty that his message will have lasting repercussions.
The film’s concept and story were developed by Sergio Rodriguez, who worked closely with Bedeschi to portray a complex world on set, aiming to raise public awareness on this crucial issue. The screenplay was written by Franco Dipietro, who skillfully transformed the concept into a cinematic narrative.
The film was made with the sponsorship of the Municipality of Milan (Central Directorate for Social Policies and Health Culture) and the Pubblicità Progresso Foundation. It was produced by Bedeschifilm, with contributions from numerous individuals who participated in a crowdfunding campaign in 2016.
In a statement, Giovanni Bedeschi shared:
“I am thrilled to have completed this film, which is very close to my heart. The Pane dal cielo project stems from my passion for volunteering and the encounters I’ve had at Opera San Francesco in Milan, where I heard the extraordinary stories of many homeless individuals. These are the stories of ordinary people who lost everything due to a divorce, a failed business venture, job loss, or illness. I felt a moral duty to give a voice to this often overlooked reality, which is becoming an emergency. I would like to thank the cast, the volunteers who participated in the filming, and everyone who worked on this project, demonstrating great sensitivity and solidarity that transcended the story told in the film.”
Actress Paola Pitagora, one of the film’s protagonists, added:
“I am proud to have taken part in this project. For me, it was a unique and deeply authentic experience. Often, when confronted with people forced to live on the streets, the first instinctive reaction, driven by fear, is rejection. The character I play, Ada, is a wealthy woman who forms a bond of solidarity with Lilli, acting as a bridge between the ‘protected’ world we all know and the more unfamiliar, marginalized world of the homeless. Pane dal cielo invites us not to stop at first impressions but to look deeper and understand that these individuals often have stories of great dignity behind them.”
Saturday, February 10, 2018 – 6 PM
Cinema San Fedele, Piazza San Fedele 4, Milan
Sunday, February 18, 2018 – 9 PM
Cineteatro Don Bosco, Via Pio XI 34, Carugate (MI)
Ticket Price: €5
Artistic Cast
Donatella Bartoli – Lilli
Sergio Leone – Annibale
Paola Pitagora – Ada
Gigi Piola – Ruben
Mauro Santopietro – Lorenzo
Antonino Surdo – Invisible Child
Mauro Ramerio – Man Reciting the Prayer
Production – Benedeschifilm
Production Company: Giovanni Bedeschi
Producer & Director: Giovanni Bedeschi
Idea & Concept: Sergio Rodriguez
Screenplay: Franco Dipietro
Executive Producer: Lorenzo Calzeroni
Director of Photography: Giancarlo Lodi
Editing: Luca Angeleri
Second Unit Director: Claudio Gallinella
Assistant Director: Alberto Poli
Set Design: Vanna Bellazzi
Costume Design: Lea Bevilacqua
Sound Recording, Mixing, and Supervision: Riccardo Milano
Casting: Valentina Materiale (U.I.C.D)
Cinematographers: Amir Andalib, Claudio Gallinella
Steadycam Operator: Stefano Marietti
Drone Operators: Loris Coniglio, Paolo Majolo
Production Coordinator: Emanuela Quaranta
Makeup: Valentina Rodella
Colorist – Enzo Catizzone
Visual Artist and Special Effects: Francesco Rota
Original Music: Fabrizio Baldoni
Songs: Claudio Sanfilippo
Dolby 5.1 Mix: Artech Digital Cinema
