A film about a tenacious fighter for the souls of young boys, an educator of youth, in whose life several miracles took place. Don Bosco devoted his entire life to the service of poor youth and to spreading the Gospel further into the world through his Salesian Order.

The opening of the film focuses on Don Bosco’s childhood, which he lived with his mother and especially with his brother Anthony, who was not very sympathetic to his dreams and desires. The film shows the importance of different role models for Don Bosco such as Don Calusso or his mother Margita.

Giovanni Bosco becomes a priest. As a priest he becomes interested in the abandoned boys on the streets. He tries to approach the young men with trust and build friendships with them. Don Bosco teaches the boys that all can be saints, they just need to love to do so.

Don Bosco and his confidants are not very popular roommates, so they have to move out several times. The film also shows Don Bosco’s problems with the authorities and with several clergymen who throw logs under his feet.

He led the boys to resort to prayer in every difficult situation. An example for others was Dominic Savio, who dies, but as Don Bosco says – death is not the end, but the beginning of a new life. The film nicely shows how Dominic always tried to think of others first in everything, not of himself.

The film shows many other significant moments in Don Bosco’s life, such as bringing his mother to the oratory, creating jobs for the boys and fighting for humane working conditions, or freeing the boys from the slave services of various merchants.

Parents Guide: Young girls making a living as prostitutes. Harassment of prostitutes by men. A murder where one of Don Bosco’s boys is the culprit. The beating of Don Bosco.

Cast: Flavio Insinna, Lina Sastri, Charles Dance, Lewis Crutch, Alessandra Martines

Crew: Lodovico Gasparini

Italy, 2004

It is beneficial to support valuable art by buying it. Supporting good cinema not only helps the creation of quality films, but it is also a sign of honesty and decency towards the filmmakers.

Next part together with first part you can find here on this link.