IL TORO
THE BULL
Carlo Mazzacurati / Hungary, Italy / 1994 / 105 min / Colour
Franco, recently fired from a cattle farm, decides to steal Corinto, a world champion breeding bull. Together with his friend Loris, a small-time farmer on the brink of bankruptcy, he embarks on a journey from Italy to Hungary to sell the animal. Their route—by truck and train—turns into a long odyssey filled with border crossings, back roads, and strange encounters. The trip also becomes a chance to reflect on the changes in post-communist Europe and the challenges of adapting to a new reality. Winner of the Leone d’Argento at the Venice Film Festival in 1994, Il Toro is a comedy that mixes humor and melancholy, telling a story of redemption and solidarity.
Carlo Mazzacurati
A filmmaker and screenwriter from Padua. In 1989, he directed Il prete bello, adapted from Parise’s novel. He won the Silver Lion in 1994 with Il Toro, followed by Vesna va Veloce (1996) and La Lingua del Santo (2000). He made acclaimed documentaries in the Ritratti series on Rigoni Stern, Zanzotto, and Meneghello, featuring interviews by Marco Paolini. His later works include La Giusta Distanza (2007) and La Passione (2010). In 2013, he received the Gran Premio Torino for lifetime achievement. His final film, La Sedia della Felicità, was released in 2014.
