Watch Sacro GRA

Sacro GRA is a 2013 documentary film directed by Italian filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi. It is a reflection of Italian life with observations of people who have found refuge or constructed makeshift homes within the Sacro GRA, a 43.5-mile ring-road highway in the suburbs surrounding Rome, the capital city of Italy. The acronym 'GRA' stands for Grande Raccordo Anulare, which translates to 'great ring road.'

The movie is a journey that captures the stories and the characters living along the periphery of this busiest circular motorway in Italy. It follows a handful of people, including a botanist searching for evidence of rare plants, a paramedic shuttle driver, fishermen, immigrants, and an exotic dancer. The film offers glimpses of their daily lives while providing a commentary on the social and economic issues affecting the region.

One of the most striking features of the movie is the lack of explicit commentary or narrative structure. Rosi's camera captures and observes, often from a distance. The film paints an intimate portrait of life on the outskirts of a metropolis, filled with the warmth and humanity of ordinary people living on the edge of some of the most important thoroughfares in the country.

The film explores various themes, including the isolation and vulnerability of those living on the margins of society, Italy's changing demographics, and the evolution of urban spaces. The characters are presented with empathy and sensitivity, and Rosi's minimalist approach captures the essence of human experience with breathtaking honesty.

In one of the most poignant scenes, the audience witnesses the displacement of immigrant seasonal workers who must move out of their makeshift homes to make way for the yearly maintenance of the road. They return the following year, and their tents and shacks are put back up, and they resume their temporary residence until the next round of cleaning.

Sacro GRA became the first documentary film to win the Golden Lion at the 2013 Venice International Film Festival, the highest prize awarded at the festival. The film beat out 19 other films of various genres, such as comedy, drama, and fiction, making it a significant achievement for the documentary genre.

In conclusion, Sacro GRA is an exceptional documentary that beautifully captures the heart and soul of the Italian suburbs. With its observation-based approach and subtle storytelling, Rosi invites us to look at society's fringes and see the human and emotional landscape beyond the concrete jungle. Watching the movie, audiences can't help but reflect on how much life is packed onto the margins of the modern world, and how the familiar places we take for granted represent so much more to the people who live by them.

Sacro GRA is a 2013 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.3 and a MetaScore of 64.