Marina

Italy, 1948. Rocco, 10 years old, grows up in a small but very poor village in the mountains of Calabria, until his father, Salvatore, decides to leave in search of a better future for his family. He left for Belgium, which according to the propaganda of the time was the promised land. Salvatore wants to earn a lot of money in a short time and then return to his native country.

But soon, Salvatore brings his family to Waterschei, and young Rocco becomes an overnight migrant, with all the consequences that this implies. The greyness of the Limburg mining region, the freezing winters, the racism as well as the foreign language and culture extinguish the young man’s joy of living.

Like other children, Rocco wants to be somebody. He goes against his father’s wishes and convictions and seeks an escape through music and love; he follows his heart and his passion to realize his own dream. The more time passes, the more it becomes clear that Salvatore will never reach his goal and that he will never return to Italy. But on his side, Rocco fights for his identity and his dignity.