Caina

The eponymous protagonist of the film is a former assassin. She is a xenophobic and violent person, her life has always been filled with hate towards those who don’t share the same physical or cultural features; chiefly immigrants and muslims. Her job during the summer is to guard the beach and pick up the corpses of illegal immigrants who have drowned off-shore in their desperate attempt to reach the coast earning petty cash for each body. It’s a lucrative business so she has to face the competition of many illegal corpse-collectors. Nahiri, a Tunisian man, is one of them. He works with a group of illegal immigrants, who snatches the corpses from Caina and sells them in the black market. In order to increase their profit, it is not rare that they drown those who survived but are too weak to fight for their lives. It’s a ruthless business in which, sometimes, the opposites attract.

Directed by Stefano Amatucci, Caina leans on a strong ensemble — Luisa Amatucci, Isa Danieli, Helmi Dridi — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2020.