20 Cigarettes

The story of how a young, fairly inexperienced man ends up largely by accident as a civilian in Iraq for a short time (the time to smoke 20 cigarettes), and gets caught up in events there which lead to him coming home to Rome a very different person. The transformation in his life is told with warmth and humour, and without any moralising or politicising.

The film is engaging from the start, and moves through a number of different phases and moods with great dexterity. It can be lighthearted, but is genuinely disturbing at times, and viewers should be prepared for some shocks, but in a way which is never gratuitous. The direction tries to convey the main character's experiences from various viewpoints, and we build up a sympathetic relationship with him in a convincing way. This makes the first-person sequences during the war scenes remarkably effective, and utterly riveting to watch. The later scenes back in Italy are also well-managed, and we are led to reflect on the impact on his life in many different ways, some of them profoundly moving.

Vinicio Marchioni is excellent in the main role, but there are a lot of good performances elsewhere too.

Not easy viewing, but well worth watching.

A remarkable first film, made by Amadei from his own real life experience of going to Iraq in 2003 to be an assistant director on a film, and almost winding up dead.

The war sequences are terrific and powerful in execution; harrowing, cinematic, real and yet stylized, largely seen from a subjective camera.

The film is quite moving in the end, and Amadei is willing to let himself (played very well by Vincio Marchioni) come off as a flawed, real human being. Re-examining one's self and one's traumatic experience with a sense of clarity, but without losing emotion would be a challenge for any artist, but as a first feature it is very special.

I also liked that the film wasn't afraid to be a very disturbing film about the realities of war, but still have a comedic edge at time. Life is both tragic and funny, but rare is the film that can walk both sides of that street.

Once in a while the style gets a bit overdone, to the point of breaking a sense of reality, but that's a small fly in a very rich ointment.

I hope Amadei's immense talent can translate to telling stories other than his own.

Really great movie. It's placed in Iraque, during the peace mission in 2003 year. Film director and his asisstance went on Iraque to make some film. Camera is a good show details after the bomb attack of the peace camp . I forgot to mention the excellent soundtrack in this movie.

So sad that Hollywood (U.S.) can't get things right

Involved since 1982 to 1983 Iran Iraq Wars 1980 (Actual 1979 after the U.S.S.R. backed Overthrow of U.S. Ally Shah of Iran) to 1989 (Actual 1991). Involved since 1983 to 1984 Afghanistan Pakistan CIA Operation Cyclone 1979 to 1990.

1993 Six Team Members I Command, directed U.S. Airstrikes and U.S. Cruise Missile Attacks Baghdad Iraq from U.S. Ally Syria a U.S. Ally since 1990, as U.S. Ally Turkey refused to allow U.S. Attacks from Muslim Turkey against Muslim Nation Iraq, U.S. Air Force Base Incirlik Turkey. This was the First of Many Illegal Attacks of Muslim Nations as Ordered by Democrat President Clinton, as Violations of Democrats U.S. Laws 1973 War Powers Resolution, 1973 War Powers Resolution, that would Cause the Revenge Attacks of Osama Bin Laden, 1993 WTC Bombing, 1998 U.S. Embassy Kenya, 2000 U.S.S. Cole, 9/11 2001 2nd Attack WTC. And U.S. Congress Impeaching Democrat President Clinton for Violating those Democrat U.S. Laws.

To save Democrat President Clinton from being either Kicked out of Office and or Imprisoned, the Democrats of U.S. Congress Declared War Against U.S. Ally Iraq with U.S. Law, Iraq Liberation Act of 1998, Justification Weapons of Mass Destruction, Goals Overthrow Iraqis President Hussein, Liberate the Iraqis People, Install A Democracy. Democrat President Clinton could not do this, because from 1993 to 2001 his U.S. Laws, National Defense Authorization Acts cut the U.S. Defense by 40 Percent, Clinton had no U.S. Defense Capable of Conducting War Against U.S. Ally Iraq. In 2002 the Democrats of the U.S. Senate once again Declared War Against U.S. Ally Iraq, U.S. Law 2002 Iraq War Resolution, and Demanded that Republican President Bush "Accomplish" Democrat President Clinton's 1998 Declared War Against Iraq.

Because of the previous Democrat President Clinton Budget Cuts, 2002 Bush did not have a Military Capable of War Against U.S. Ally Iraq. So he Negotiated with the U.S. Allies to form a Coalition Military Force, Mobilized the Not Funded U.S. States National Guards that most had joined to get Free College or University Tuitions and not go to War, most had not even been Trained due to lack of Training Funds with Clinton Budget Cutd.

Most Coalition Forces had never been in Combat, War, and did the very same stupid the French did at "French Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia)" that I saw after being "Drafted" Vietnam War. They put their Bases at the bottoms of Valleys. The U.S.S.R. did that also 1979 to 1990 Afghanistan. As too easy for Enemy Forces unseen blocked by the Mountains or Hills, climb up and set up artillery, anti aircraft auto cannons, mortars, and protected by the entire mountain's or hill's ridgeline basically massacre those at that Base, Camp, with the Defenders incapable of effectively shooting directly at the Enemy. This Mountain Warfare is called "Reverse Slope Warfare". So at Iraq same thing, Coalition Forces, surrounded by Hills or Mountains.

The other Deadly belief was that anybody living at Iraq were, are Iraqis.

Actual Iraqis, Arabs, Arabic, Sunnis. A U.S. Ally since 1921 as a British Colony of the U.S. Ally the Great British Colonial Empire. Stopped being a U.S. Ally after Democrat President Clinton's Illegal War Against U.S. Ally Iraq starts 1993.

Millions of Iranians living at Iraq aka Shia of Iraq, Iranians that fled Iran since 1979 U.S.S.R. Backed Overthrow of U.S. Ally Shah of Iran. Farsi, Persian, "Iranian". Fanatical Shia. Traitors, fought against U.S. Ally Iraq during the Iran Iraq Wars. After the 2002 Defeats of the Actual Iraqis Military 2002 U.S. Military Operation Hotel California, the Shia of Iraq (Iranians) became the Shia of Iraq Militias and fought the U.S., U.N. and N.A.T.O. Coaltion Forces Iraq, being Fanatical Shia Muslims Suicide Attacks, Suicide Vests and Suicide Bombers typical.

Kurdistanis aka Kurds, Indo Europeans. Farsi, Persian, "Iranian". Fanatical Shia. Traitors, fought against U.S. Ally Iraq during the Iran Iraq Wars. 2001 Allied to Osama Bin Laden, Al Quada, Afghan Taliban, as 30 Million of Muslim Army Ansar Al Islam. Since 2008 the New Location of Osama Bin Laden's Terrorist Training Camps, instead of Northern Yemen , as Hosted by the Kurdistanis aka Kurds. Attacked U.S. Ally Syria a U.S. Ally since 1990, to seize Syrian Land to create their Fanatical Muslim Nation of Kurdistan modeled after Ayatollah Khomeini's Iran.

This movie is based on an autobiography of Aureliano Amadei. He has a deep love for filmmaking. That's why he can't refuse an offer to be an assistant director, even when the movie will be made in Iraq. It's a big stepping stone for him. But when he got there, he finally finds out that he was actually "deceived" and his decision leads him to a grievous reality.

I never really like watching movie about war. I love history, but every time I watch a movie war related, it's more often than not to include bombing and shooting with a great damage to the human body, in this case soldiers or civilians. It's really painful to see. You can see blood, flesh and bone and sometimes it makes me wanna puke and begin to question myself again, why war?

This movie really shows that horror I really fear to watch. And it was so genuine. The scene was taken from Amadei's still rolling camera, so it feels so real. Like I was really there with them. I wanted to skip this part but I might lose something important, so I kept watching.

Besides its frightening bombing scene, it deals with a bittersweet romance between Amadei, his best friend and his real boyfriend. The uniqueness of his parents and their beautiful relationship also adds solace to this movie. But the truth that there will always be someone who tries to be in the "spotlight" after this terrifying attack is so odious.