IL DESERTO DEI TARTARI
THE DESERT OF THE TARTARS
Valerio Zurlini / France, Germany, Italy / 1976 / 140 min / Colour
Giovanni Drogo, a young officer newly appointed as second lieutenant, is assigned to the Bastiani Fortress, a remote military outpost on the edge of a declining empire. Located in the desolate “Tartar Desert,” the fortress is the stage for a monotonous and uneventful daily life, where the soldiers live in constant anticipation of a threat that seems never to arrive. Drogo, initially enthusiastic and idealistic, becomes drawn into the rigid military discipline and the hope for a heroic moment; as the years pass, however, he slowly realizes that the long-awaited battle will never take place. This leads him to a profound reflection on lost time and the meaning of duty. The film, based on the homonymous novel by Dino Buzzati, explores themes such as solitude, hope, and disillusionment, offering a poignant portrayal of the human condition in a state of prolonged waiting and inaction.
Valerio Zurlini
Director and screenwriter, he joined the Liberation Corps during World War II. Later, he worked as assistant director at the Piccolo Teatro in Milan. In 1954, he directed Le ragazze di San Frediano, based on the novel by Vasco Pratolini. He went on to make Estate violenta (1959), La ragazza con la valigia (1961), and Cronaca familiare (1962), which won the Golden Lion at Venice. His last film, Il deserto dei Tartari (1976), earned the David di Donatello for Best Director.
