Ennio

NZ release: 22 July 2023

Violence and nudity Rated on: 03 March 2023

Ennio

What’s it about?

Ennio Morricone talks about his life and career as one of the greatest film composers of all time. This documentary features interviews with his musical peers and collaborators from within the film industry, who discuss the legacy his orchestral scores have had on cinema.

The facts

  • Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso, Malena)
  • Italian and English language
  • 156 minutes
  • The film features well known figures in the film industry such as Quentin Tarantino, Clint Eastwood, John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Oliver Stone, Barry Levinson and more
  • Screening in New Zealand as part of the New Zealand International Film Festival 2023

Why did it get this rating?

This film was classified by Te Mana Whakaatu – Classification Office.

The interviews are broken up by fast-paced montages of footage from films Morricone has scored over the decades, such as Arabian Nights, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Cinema Paradiso and The Hateful Eight. Some of these films are age-restricted in New Zealand, however the focus is on the creation of the musical score and the interviewees talking about the music.

Nudity

Some scenes show non-sexualised male and female nudity. There are also clips of nude children, but their nudity is not sexualised or exploited.

Violence

Brief violent clips from various movies that Ennio scored are shown. The strongest violence shows an eye gouging and people being shot, strangled, whipped and drowned. The aftermath of war is also shown. The clips are fast-paced, and there is little blood or injury detail. Given these are presented in a long and interview-heavy film, these scenes are unlikely to have a strong impact.

Self-harm/suicide

Well-known archival footage from the September 11 Twin Towers attack shows one person jumping from the towers and falling to their death. The impact is not shown.

A man slices his ear off in a casual manner, leaving a bloody wound. The depiction is not gruesome.

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