Beyond the scenes of Oklahoma
BEYOND THE SCENES OF OKLAHOMA HAS BEEN SELECTED AT VISIONI INCONTRA 2026
Logline
Young residents of the Oklahoma community in Gratosoglio — unaccompanied foreign minors and young people with serious family difficulties or subject to criminal measures — build their future within the community by entering the world of work.
Synopsis
The protagonists of this project are all underage youths: those fleeing war zones, those enduring long and difficult journeys while suffering violence and abuse in detention centers, those shipwrecked on improvised boats, and those who found in illegality a substitute for family affection. They are hosted by the Oklahoma community in Gratosoglio, which offers them integration and work programmes. Their unique stories intertwine during a walk through the streets of Milan, a museum visit, a show on Enzo Jannacci, listening to a concert rehearsal at La Scala. We follow them as they discover their new life, and the silence of those who do not yet know Italian well gives way to the desire to be heard, understood, accepted.
director's note
The underage youths living in the Oklahoma community embody the multicultural reality of Lombardy, coming from Egyptian, African, Albanian, and Kosovar families. They have experienced forced migration or family abandonment, each one carries a unique story. Their activities alternate between educational workshops – such as the Bicycle Workshop, Hip-Hop, Cooking, Italian language courses, and the teaching garden aimed at raising public awareness and breaking down the walls of prejudice. The innovative reception and integration model of the Oklahoma Community that has supported more than 1,000 youths over more than forty years of activity ensures its capacity for international circulation.
ORIGINAL TITLE: Oltre le quinte di Oklahoma
ENGLISH TITLE: Beyond the scenes of Oklahoma
GENRE: Creative documentary
CATEGORY: Migration and integration; Unaccompanied foreign minors; Human rights and social inclusion
FORMAT: HD
RUNTIME: 78′ – 52′
LANGUAGE: Italian and other foreign languages (English subtitles)
STORY AND DIRECTION: Pepi Romagnoli
CAST: Young residents of the Oklahoma community in Gratosoglio
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND CAMERA OPERATOR: Giuseppe Campo
EDITING: Edoardo Maimone (Officine Ubu)
POST-PRODUCTION EDITOR & SUPERVISOR: Edoardo Maimone
MUSIC: Claptone “No eyes”
PRODUCER: Michelangelo Pastore – Michelangelo film
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Maurizio Santarelli
PRODUCTION STATUS: Production
EXPECTED RELEASE: Rough cut May 2027
