The powerful drama, “Io Capitano,” which is nominated for the best international film Oscar, traces the arduous journey of two Senegalese teenagers, Seydou (Seydou Sarr) and his cousin, Mousa (Moustapha Fall), who leave home to go work abroad. Italian director and co-writer Matteo Garrone (“Gomorrah”) humanizes these immigrants and tells their story in ways that illuminate and devastate.
These two naïve young men are warned repeatedly about the dangers of leaving and that “Europe is nothing like Africa.” However, having saved up for six months, they take off — not even telling their mothers — because they believe they have “no choice.” They may feel guilty, but they also feel empowered to take control of their own destinies.
