Gianfranco Rosi to explore Lampedusa's story in new film project

Gianfranco Rosi, the acclaimed filmmaker and 2013 Golden Lion winner for "Sacro Gra," is set to delve into the story of Lampedusa, an island known for the tragic arrival of migrants, in his upcoming film. The project, produced by RAI Cinema, Cinecittà Luce, and Avventurosa, in collaboration with the French company Les Films d'Ici, aims to capture the essence of the island and its inhabitants.

"I want to tell the story of the island of Lampedusa and its inhabitants beyond the tragic arrival of migrants, whose presence will however be felt, like an echo," Rosi said.

Initially considering a short film, Rosi realized the complexity of the island's narrative required a more extensive exploration. "In the beginning, I thought of doing a short, but after two surveys, I thought it would be impossible to condense into ten minutes—stories that were going to tell the story of an island," he said.

Rosi plans to relocate to Lampedusa in September to fully immerse himself in the environment before beginning production. "I need to immerse myself in what I want to tell before I start shooting, and only then slowly, slowly find my narrative process. It is a very complex challenge. I hope to be up to the challenge," he said.

The film, tentatively titled "Aria Rossa," will focus on a specific part of the island. "It's about a part of the island where things happen I want to show in the film," Rosi explained during a presentation at the RAI headquarters in Rome, titled LampedusaCinema 2014.

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