The German poet Goethe once famously said about the incomparable splendour of Naples: "See Naples and die".

The central feature of the film is the painting The Seven Acts of Mercy by Caravaggio (1607), commissioned by the noble founders of the Pio Monte della Misericordia, a charitable institution that is still active. Myths about this painting, the history of the Pio Monte, the joy and sorrow of Neapolitans, alternate and combine to form a colourful picture of the city. Inspired by Caravaggio's characteristic light-dark contrasts, film director Vincent Monnikendam ends up in the backstreets and steep alleyways where sunlight barely penetrates, where dark drama and frivolity keep the age-old city in their grip.

Official Selection
Rotterdam Film Festival 2005
Tribeca Film Festival 2005