The Call (La Convocazione)

Randomly selected by a computer, 60 apprehensive common citizens take their places in the courtroom of the Milan Assize Court of Appeal, which tries Italy’s most notorious criminals. The lead judge explains they’ll be stuck there all day until each of them has been interviewed and six jurors are chosen. She reminds them they will have to use their common sense in deciding a difficult case, but when she claims that no one needs to be scared of the mafia they look rather concerned and confused. The camera records strikingly intimate close-ups, while the sotto voce speculations about the judicial process and fear of making these irreversible choices are all captured by planted microphones. Maisto’s film is an impeccable, cinematic fly-on-the-wall drama that opens up broad questions about civic duty, democratic institutions, and human nature. -TG