Riccardo Scamarcio discusses film ‘I figli della scimmia’ at Venice

Actor Riccardo Scamarcio discussed his role in the film ‘I figli della scimmia’ (The Monkey’s Children), directed by Tommaso Landucci, during its presentation in the Orizzonti section of the Venice International Film Festival.

The film explores the emotional complexities of a father caring for a child with a severe disability. Scamarcio portrays Dario, a man who struggles with the sentimental weight of accepting his child’s reality and occasionally projects his expectations of an ‘ideal son’ onto his teenage nephew. The narrative aims to move beyond clichés by depicting the daily weight of caregiving alongside moments of irony and lightness.

Director Tommaso Landucci noted that the film was inspired by Aesop’s fable and his own experiences approaching parenthood. The story serves as a lens to examine how parents view children as individuals rather than mere heirs or extensions of themselves. The film is scheduled for release in Italian cinemas on September 17.