Alessandro Borghi
Stefano Cucchi
On My Skin
“The last seven days of Stefano Cucchi”
2018
1h 40m
Director: Alessio Cremonini
Overview
The incredible true story behind the most controversial Italian court cases in recent years. Stefano Cucchi was arrested for a minor crime and mysteriously found dead during his detention. In one week's time, a family is changed forever.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
4 min readThe Body as Evidence
I’ve seen films about injustice before—courtroom dramas, prison exposés, the occasional docudrama that promises to "set the record straight." But On My Skin isn’t interested in straightening anything. It’s a film that moves in circles, like a man pacing a cell too small to contain his rage.
Stefano Cucchi’s story is one of those cases that refuses to stay buried, not because the facts are unclear, but because the facts are too clear. A man is arrested for a minor drug offense. A week later, he’s dead.
His body is broken. The system that was supposed to protect him—police, doctors, the courts—becomes the thing that erases him. And yet, for all its brutality, On My Skin isn’t a film about answers.
It’s about the weight of not having them.
Alessio Cremonini’s direction is unflinching, but not in the way you might expect. There are no dramatic confrontations, no swelling music to tell you when to feel outraged. Instead, the camera lingers on small, terrible details: the way Stefano’s (Alessandro Borghi) ribs press against his skin after days of refusing food, the way his sister Ilaria (Jasmine Trinca) touches his bruises as if she could memorize their shape.
The film’s power isn’t in what it shows you, but in what it makes you look at—and what it refuses to look away from.
Borghi’s performance is the kind that stays with you long after the credits roll, not because it’s showy, but because it’s so quiet. Stefano isn’t a martyr or a hero. He’s a man who made mistakes, who struggled with addiction, who didn’t always make the right choices.
Audience Opinions
Limited evidence
Audience 7.5/10
"A raw and emotionally gripping portrayal of a tragic real-life event, anchored by a powerful lead performance."
Viewers praise the film for its unflinching honesty and the intense, immersive performance by Alessandro Borghi, which brings depth to the harrowing true story. latestnetflix.com's view is that however, some find the subject matter difficult to endure, noting that the film’s relentless focus on suffering can feel overwhelming rather than cathartic.
What viewers praise
- Powerful lead performance Alessandro Borghi’s portrayal is widely regarded as deeply moving and authentic, drawing viewers into the story.
- Raw and unflinching realism The film’s commitment to depicting events without sensationalism resonates with those seeking a grounded, truthful narrative.
- Emotionally gripping The story’s intensity and emotional weight leave a strong impact on audiences.
Common complaints
- Difficult subject matter The film’s unrelenting focus on suffering makes it a challenging watch for some viewers.
- Limited narrative depth A few note that the story, while powerful, lacks broader context or exploration beyond its central events.
Recommended for
Fans of intense character studies True story drama enthusiasts Alessandro Borghi admirers Those seeking raw realism
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsItalian cinemas tried to freeze the Cucchi film. Netflix put it in 190 countries anyway.
On My Skin, Sulla mia pelle in Italian, opened Venice's Horizons section on August 29, 2018. Two weeks later Lucky Red and Netflix dropped it the same day, September 12, in Italian theatres and on the streamer worldwide. Trade bodies for local exhibitors had already issued a statement against day-and-date. They also needled Venice chief Alberto Barbera for shrinking the theatrical window. Lucky Red CEO Andrea Occhipinti answered that every exhibitor was free to play the film or not. He called the global drop "an extraordinary event" because Stefano Cucchi's story could travel. "We are not 'escaping into the future'. We believe in cinema." The Lido that year programmed a record six Netflix titles. latestnetflix.com's take is that this was the Italian one, and the one that actually happened to a family still in court.
, 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep-O2Nl0P0s
Alessio Cremonini directed with Lisa Nur Sultan. Cinemaundici produced with Lucky Red. Netflix bought in after the cameras stopped. Sultan told Anonima Cinefili the streamer arrived once the film was finished. Lucky Red had come in on the third draft and made no notes. Netflix posted the trailer. , Ilaria Cucchi, Stefano's sister, sat in the Venice press room. The film covers the seven days after his October 15, 2009 arrest in Rome on a minor drugs charge, through his death in custody on October 22. Alessandro Borghi plays Stefano. Jasmine Trinca plays Ilaria. Max Tortora and Milvia Marigliano play the parents who could not get a visit. ,
Borghi got down to 62.5 kilograms and called the nutritionist his psychologist.
His first reaction to the part, he said at Venice, was "sana paura," a healthy fear. He lost 18 kilograms in under three months. The last two weeks on set he weighed 62.5 kilograms. He told Movieplayer he ate 40 grams of hulled red lentils and went to bed before hunger arrived. No dinners. No birthdays. "Lo faccio solo per i film." He used Matteo Rovere's forest shoot to burn the first 8 or 9 kilograms, then got "still more unpleasant" for the rest. Trinca said playing Ilaria was less about imitation than respect. Ilaria had made a private grief public. The official screening ended with Borghi and Ilaria hugging. ,
The movie does not wait for a verdict. The on-screen epilogue notes Stefano was the 148th person to die in an Italian prison in 2009, that the first trial acquitted everyone, and that a July 2017 hearing had indicted three Carabinieri for involuntary manslaughter. Reality moved after the premiere. On November 14, 2019, a Rome court sentenced Alessio Di Bernardo and Raffaele D'Alessandro to 12 years for involuntary manslaughter. Ilaria told reporters, "Stefano was killed. We knew that and we've been repeating it for 10 years." Borghi posted four words. "A Stefano. Sempre." , ,
The 2019 David di Donatello jury gave Borghi Best Actor, Cremonini Best New Director, and Cinemaundici and Lucky Red Best Producer. Netflix still has the film. A streamer and a distributor bet that a seven-day Italian case could play in 190 countries on the same Friday the exhibitors wanted a window.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.