The Keys to the House

The Keys to the House (Le chiavi di casa)
Directed by	Gianni Amelio
Produced by	Elda Ferri Enzo Porcelli
Written by	Giuseppe Pontiggia (novel) Gianni Amelio Sandro Petraglia Stefano Rulli
Starring	Kim Rossi Stuart Charlotte Rampling Andrea Rossi Alla Faerovich Pierfrancesco Favino
Music by	Franco Piersanti
Edited by	Simona Paggi
Distributed by	Lions Gate Entertainment
Release dates	10 September 2004 (2004-09-10) (Italy)
Running time	105 minutes
Country	Italy
Language	Italian

The Keys to the House (Italian title: Le chiavi di casa) is a 2004 dramatic family film based on the story Born Twice (Italian title: Nati due volte) telling the story of a young father meeting his handicapped son for the first time and attempts to forge a relationship with the teenager. The film was directed by Gianni Amelio.

Plot

Gianni (Kim Rossi Stuart) has left his son Paolo (Andrea Rossi) in the care of others since the day he was born. He has not been able to cope with the fact that Paolo’s mother died in childbirth and Paolo has not grown up like all the other children because of his handicap. Paolo is now fifteen years old and is about to meet his father for the first time. Gianni has been asked by the caretakers of his son to take him to a Berlin hospital for yearly tests and check-ups. According to their doctor, the "shock" of meeting his own father could help Paolo in his treatment.

When Gianni boards the night train which Paolo is already riding, it is Gianni who is in for a shock. Paolo does not seem particularly impressed nor disturbed by this first meeting with his biological father. He seems more interested in his Game Boy instead. Gianni and Nicole (Charlotte Rampling) meet accidentally in the Berlin hospital, and even though he feels awkward and almost ashamed at being seen as having fathered "such a child", they somehow connect. Nicole has spent her life caring for her daughter and could teach Gianni something if only he were willing to listen. Through a series of chance encounters aided by a book left behind by Nicole (Born Twice Italian title: Nati due volte, incidentally the book on which the film is based), they meet several times and get talking.

Awards

The film has won nine awards and fourteen nominations.

2004

In the same year of its release (2004) it won four awards and one nomination in the Venice Film Festival:

2005

In the second year (2005) it won:

One award and six nominations in the David di Donatello Awards:

Three awards and five nominations in the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists:

and two nominations in the Young Artist Awards:

2006

In the third year (2006) it won:

One award in the Turia Awards:

External links

• The Keys to the House at the Internet Movie Database