The film, "The Bandits of Orgosolo," illustrates how environment inexorably shapes the lives of individuals. Michele, a poor Sardinian shepherd falsely accused of aiding bandits, flees from the police with his younger brother and the herd of sheep that supports them. By the time they finally reach safety, the entire flock has died from exhaustion, and Michele is compelled to steal to preserve himself and his brother. Thus, he is forced by circumstances beyond his control to become the criminal he was earlier accused of being. Although presenting the harsh economic realities of the shepherds' lives, this film avoids the sentimentality of such similar films as "How Green Was My Valley" and thereby gains in power. If a teacher wants his students exposed to the crushing effect of environment on the individual so that they can better comprehend the effect of the ghetto on its inhabitants, for example, this film conveys the message. (LH)