Kaos (film)

Kaos is a 1984 Italian anthology film directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani. It is based on short stories by Luigi Pirandello, primarily from his collection Novelle per un anno ("Stories for a Year"). The film is divided into five episodes (plus an introduction and an epilogue), each telling a separate story set in rural Sicily.

The stories included are:

• Prologue: An allegory about the power of words.
• "L'altro figlio" ("The Other Son"): A mother refuses to acknowledge one of her sons who went away to America and only focuses on the son who stayed.
• "Mal di luna" ("Lunar Sickness"): A newlywed groom suffers from lycanthropy, transforming into a werewolf under the full moon.
• "La giara" ("The Jar"): A landowner hires a craftsman to repair a large, valuable olive oil jar, but the craftsman ends up trapped inside it.
• "Requiem": Peasants demand the right to be buried in their own village, rather than being forced to transport their dead to a distant town.
• "Colloquio con la madre" ("Conversation with Mother"): Pirandello's last story, where he meets his deceased mother.

Kaos is known for its lush cinematography, its authentic depiction of Sicilian life, and its exploration of themes such as poverty, superstition, family, and the search for meaning in life. It received critical acclaim and is considered one of the Taviani brothers' most significant works.