in Italy reached an all-time peak of nearly 600. Although many kidnappings were politically motivated, children of wealthy northern families were targeted as well. It became such a problem that the Italian government decided to automatically freeze the assets of any families whose children had been kidnapped and contacted by people wanting a ransom to discourage this phenomenon. According to Salvatores, the film is not primarily about kidnapping of the time but the mystery revolving around a kidnapping. The story is also about the journey and loss of innocence of a young boy. The majority of the actors in the film, especially the children, were local citizens with no filming or acting experience. Giuseppe Cristiano, who played the main character, had never appeared in a film before. The director spoke with psychologists about the impact of filming on the residents. Not to raise hopes, the filmmakers explained to the parents of the child actors that this was not a ticket to Hollywood. The veteran actors Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Dino Abbrescia, and Giorgio Careccia were cast in the adult roles. The vivid scenery in this film is one of its most recognized characteristics. There are many views of fields and hills of wheat, this endless land being the backyard for the children of Acqua Traverse and the setting to their childhood adventures. The film used a strong primary color scheme to portray the way children see the world, focusing on specific objects of interest with a close-up. The film score is primarily by a string quartet, that includes original music by Ezio Bosso, Quartetto d'Archi di Torino. Release Two days after Io non ho paura appeared at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2003, thirty-two countries had purchased the film. Box office Miramax distributed the film in the United States, where it grossed $1,615,328. Overseas, the film earned $5,739,090, for a worldwide total of $7,354,418. Critical reception I'm Not Scared received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 90% "Certified Fresh" rating based on 100 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The site's consensus states: "A well-acted and thrilling coming-of-age tale that captures a child awakening to the frightening world of adults." Metacritic reports a 73 out of 100 rating based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Awards Berlin International Film Festival 2003: Nominated, Golden Berlin Bear, Gabriele Salvatores European Film Awards