A Última Neve da Primavera

I watched this film about 20 years along with another Italian release 'Last Feelings'. Both films are extremely powerful tearjerkers and were released together in the UK. They affected me so much that I think about them to this day and have recently been trying to track down copies of them - this seems to be impossible, but i still remember them quite vividly. I dare you to watch this film without shedding a tear. Especially the fairground scene at the end. Heartbreaking.

A quite fine film about the relationship berween an adolescent son and his father, a workaholic lawyer: besid The father has a new girlfriend, Veronica who intends to find her place in the life of Roberto and his son Luca.Little by little the son manages to spend more time with his father. And with the illness, Roberto will spend all his time to spend with his son in his last moments of life. It's important that this film has been made in 1973 and the subject is well treated without an excessive dramatism.The performance of Bekim Fehmiu (Roberto) , Renato Cestiè (Luca) and Agostina Bella are very good.

I guess I was 10 yrs old when I saw this movie in Japan. I fell in love with Renato Cestie (was Luca) and I wasn't sure what language he was speaking in the movie (mix of English and Italian? not sure), but I had started learning English then for someday when I happen to meet with Renato, I wanted to be able to communicate with him. Wow, I still remember his fan letter address in Roma, Italy, however, I've never got the answer from Renato tho....haha....

This opportunity didn't bring me to Italy (I've never been there yet!) but brought me to USA to live when I was 20 by myself, but later got married in New York, my husband's family originally came from Italy. We are always talking about someday we've got to go to Italy.

I recently googled "Renato Cestie" and saw some of his recent picture, he doesn't have blonde hair anymore, but still has the same cute smile. Did he got married too and have some kids? Anyway....

God Bless, Renato and just wanted to say Thank You. You were my hope, You were my every motive when I was a kid.

One of a trend of "tearjerkers" made in Italy in the '70s starring child (at the time) actor Renato Cestie' (see also "The tree with pink leaves", "The balloons vendor", "White horses of summer", the latter sadly featuring the great Jean Seberg at the very end of her career. The plot in the films is always about "sick/misunderstood/neglected child in an awful adult world" - this specific one is about a terminally ill child brought up by a selfish and career minded father. I got really traumatized when I saw it as a child and to me it represents a true example of manipulative and exploitative film- making. I suppose it would be now considered a cult film in its own genre, as it somewhat verges on the kitsch...

I agree with calico_demon. I saw this film on it's cinema release in the UK, and still rate it as one of the most moving films I have ever seen. I am not ashamed to admit having had to reach for the tissues.

Although the film follows a well-tried formula, the young star of this movie, Renato Cestie, gives a convincing performance as Luca. A lonely boy, who's father is too busy with his own affairs to notice that his son is dying - until it is almost too late. Renato turned in an equally moving performance as Giocomino, in the movie "Il Venditore di palloncini".(Known in the UK as "Last Moments").

OK, the plot was very similar. You either love this sort of film, or you hate it. I enjoyed both films immensely, and was pleased I bought copies when they were eventually released on video. And, even if they are on the now defunct Betamax format, I'll go on enjoying them, while ever my Betamax machine holds out.