Salvo

Its stunning cinematography may not have quite the impact it does on the big screen, but an excellent transfer and two different sound options mean this is still a fine choice for home viewing. The only thing really wrong with this DVD is that the sound levels between the different features haven't been balanced, so you will need to have your remote control at the ready.

Of these features, by far the best is the short film, Rita, on which Salvo was (loosely) based. This is a superb piece of work that would make the purchase worthwhile even without the main film. It's far too hard to access good short films outside the festival circuit, so very good to see this getting a release.

Also present is a behind the scenes feature which looks in detail at a handful of individual scenes. Rather like Salvo itself, it's observational. There are long stretches with no-one speaking and other sections with little subtitling (excepting the interview with Palestinian lead actor Saleh Bakri, who speaks English, everything on this disc is in Italian). As in the two films, this leads viewers to notice things that might otherwise pass them by.

There are also four interviews here - with Bakri, with the directors, with supporting actor Luigi Lo Cascio and with Sara Serraiocco, who plays the blind girl, the second incarnation of Rita. The later is the most interesting, packed with detail about both preparation and filming.

Altogether, this is an excellent package that will really please fans of the film.