Nightmares haunt Arduè. The memory of his daughter comes alive every night, and the guilt of not having saved her torments him. Once he discovers the name of her killer, Arduè, accompanied by Master Bachis, embarks on a long journey to take part in a secret and brutal tournament.
An archaic arena of sand where bronze meets flesh, and shamans recruit the island’s finest warriors. It is there that Arduè will face each fighter one by one, striving to reach the top and challenge the man who took everything from him: Ischidos the Immortal.
The film is loosely inspired by the ancient Nuragic civilization (1800–800 BCE), a period during which succession from an elder leader to the next indeed took place through tournaments. These challenges were not only physical but also included a series of intellectual tests to prove the contenders’ abilities. One such test was the rhyme challenge, a tradition still strongly rooted on the island today. Far from being unique to Sardinia, this type of trial was common among Mediterranean peoples like the Greeks and northern cultures such as the Vikings. The winner would then marry the chief’s daughter, ensuring both the continuity of bloodline and a renewal of leadership.
The short film was shot in Ogliastra, specifically in the Barbagia of Seui, and the armor used was recreated by experimental archaeologist Andrea Loddo, known for rediscovering the original bronze-casting techniques. In 2017, Nuraghes was exclusively broadcast on Paramount Channel, and in 2018 it was presented at the David di Donatello Awards and the Roma Web Fest, where it won Best Cinematography and the Special Premiere Distribution Award.
This article was originally written in Italian by Carlo Manca and translated into English by Emanuele Mulas. Use the menu to switch to the original Italian version.
