VeteranexperimentalfilmmakersDanielleHuilletandJean-MarieStraubhelmedthisunusualadaptationofanovelbyElioVittorini.FocusedonthetriumphsandfailuresofagroupoflaborersandfarmhandswhopooledtheirresourcestooperateanalternativecollectivefarmaftertheendofWorldWarII,Operai,Contadinifeaturesacastof12actorswhoreadaloudfromVittorini'sbookforthedurationofthefilm,eitherrecitingfrommemoryorusingaclearlyvisiblescript.Hardlydesignedtobeacrowdpleaser,Operai,Contadiniprovedtobecontroversialamongtheaudiencesforitsshowingsatthe2001CannesFilmFestival,whereitwasscreenedaspartoftheDirectors'Fortnightseries.~MarkDeming,AllMovieGuide　　Thegroupmakesupaprimitivecommunitywhichseekstoerasenotonlythedistresscreatedbythewarbutalsothehardshipsoflifeandhunger,andtoprotectthemfromviolence,miseryandfear.Amidtheruinsofthispost-warperiod,thecharactersbuildandinventarapport bothintheirprofessionalanddailylives betweenthemselves,thesexes,generations,diversesocialandgeographicalorigins,