Il regalo di natale

An elderly Sicilian gent has set up his camcorder on the beach so he can send a video message to his daughter in the USA. Mid-record, a passer-by pinches it and runs off. The thief isn't the sharpest tool in the box, though, and so takes it home and leaves it for his son to play with. He decides he no longer wants a bike but intends to be the next Fellini and so sets about filming most of his family - annoying his mother in the process - before he rewinds the tape and sees the original owner. He's an honest sort of lad, and so decides it would be best to return it. If he can find the man, that is. Can he? It's not often you see a video diary constructed quite like this and the young lad and his singing sister both turn in quite amiable performances as we enjoy a brief snapshot of his family life. It also reminds us of the longing that can be felt by parents missing their distant children and encourages us to remember to keep in touch with our memories and our present too.