Italy once again sets its sights on the Oscars, spotlighting a theme that’s as relevant as it is enduring: immigration. This issue, marked by identity and turmoil, has been part of the nation for decades, echoing a shared experience with many other countries. 

Io Capitano (Me Captain) by Matteo Garrone is Italy’s latest nominee for Best International Film. This recalls 2016 when Fuocammare (Fire at Sea), by Gianfranco Rosi, set against the backdrop of Lampedusa—a stage for countless arrivals and shipwrecks—was nominated, having already clinched the Golden Bear in Berlin.