The Profession of Arms is a 2001 Italian film directed by Ermanno Olmi and starring Christo Jivkov, Sergio Grammatico, and Dimitar Ratchkov. The film is set in the early 16th century and depicts the military campaign of the Imperial armies led by Georg von Frundsberg towards Rome.
The film begins with a scene depicting the arrival of Georg von Frundsberg and his German landsknechts at a small Italian town where they are offered hospitality by the local people. They continue their march towards Rome, facing harsh weather conditions and attacks by the inferior papal armies.
As they cross the rivers along their march, they manage to get cannons thanks to the maneuvers of its Lords. The papal armies try to chase them but are unable to catch up with them. In a skirmish, the commander of the papal armies, Giovanni de'Medici, is wounded in the leg by a falconet shot.
The film depicts the harsh conditions in which war is waged and its lack of glory. The soldiers are shown to be tired and hungry, and they suffer casualties due to disease and the harsh weather conditions. The film also shows the impact of war on civilians, as they are forced to flee their homes and seek refuge elsewhere.
The climax of the film is the assault on Rome by the Imperial armies. The film shows the brutal and bloody nature of the assault, as the soldiers pillage and loot the city. The film ends with the declaration made by the commanders of the armies in Europe, after the death of Giovanni de'Medici, of not using fire weapons again because of their cruelty.
Overall, The Profession of Arms is a beautifully shot and well-acted film that provides a realistic portrayal of the horrors of war. The film highlights the human cost of war and the senselessness of violence, making it a powerful anti-war statement.