It seems the central point of the picture, the instant when all which goes before is prologue and everything after is preordained, is when Michele is told to swear to his father he will not return to the hole; he then swears and is told by his father that's not good enough, you must swear on the life of your father. Michele swears. Then immediately Michele sneaks out in the middle of the night for Filippo. This act puts Michele irrevocably against his father and his gang and is the first indication that he is acting like a true grownup. The second is the reprise of the drawing straws scene; early in the movie it dealt with retrieving a bottle of wine from the basement; Father was left with the central straw and lost. Later the three straws determined who was going to kill Filippo and the same result occurred. The father redeemed some of his soul when the Brazilian told him Michele was fine, they had to find and kill Filippo but father knew better and continued to hold Michelle until the helicopters came. Michelle survives, but you only get that from the book; the movie leaves you in suspense. Presumably the gang including all the villagers are arrested and sent up the river, which means all the children are put in the system in orphanages or foster care. Maybe that is where an ignorant but moral and intelligent Michele learns to ski ten years later.
Review of I'm Not Scared
