A Boy from Calabria

Set in 1960, the year of the Rome Olympics, a 13 year-old boy with aspirations to become an athlete befriends an ageing, disabled bus driver who understands his ambitions.

Directed by Luigi Comencini, A Boy from Calabria leans on a strong ensemble — Gian Maria Volonté, Diego Abatantuono, Thérèse Liotard — 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 1987.