The Vanishing of Pato

Set in 1890 Vigàta during Easter, The Vanishing of Patò begins with a puzzling absence: Antonio Patò, a quiet accountant who just played Judas in the town's Passion Play, fails to return after the performance. Two rival investigators, Paolo Giummaro and Ernesto Bellavia, take on the case, each operating with different instincts and personal agendas as they interview actors, priests, and neighbors. The jubilant religious pageant provides a stark contrast to the suspicions and grudges simmering beneath the surface. As the inquiry unfolds, small betrayals and long-buried resentments come to light, shifting attention from a simple missing-person case to questions about honor, reputation, and how a tight community handles scandal.

Released in 2012, the film was directed by Rocco Mortelliti and adapts Andrea Camilleri's historical novel, with Maurizio Nichetti credited as a creator alongside Camilleri. The cast includes Nino Frassica, Neri Marcorè, Maurizio Casagrande, Alessandra Mortelliti, and Flavio Bucci, grounding the story in familiar Italian talent.

The Vanishing of Patò had a limited profile outside Italy and did not register major box office figures internationally. Detailed grosses aren't widely available, indicating a modest commercial footprint and distribution focused more on domestic and festival circuits than on wide global release.

Though not a broad cultural phenomenon, the film leans on Camilleri's Vigàta world that Montalbano fans will recognize, and the Passion Play setting supplies memorable visual rituals. Performances by well-known Italian actors helped the picture gain local attention, and it found an audience among viewers who appreciate period crime stories rooted in regional flavor.

Audience and critical reactions were mixed to positive, reflected in a 6.7/10 user vote average from 26 ratings. Commentators and viewers tend to highlight the film's period detail, its examination of rivalry and community pressures, and the uneasy overlap of religious spectacle and civic power in a small town.