Interview with Producer Angelo Troiano on Basilicata: Terra di Cinema

Interview with Producer Angelo Troiano on Basilicata: Terra di Cinema - "Thriller" the Phenomenon

Angelo Troiano, Sergio Ragone, Giuseppe Marco Albano

Born in Bernalda, a small town in the province of Matera, Angelo Troiano grew up watching the work of American directors like Francis Ford Coppola, whose grandfather is from the same town. When he was a child, Troiano’s mother took him to the local Cineplex to see cinematic masterpieces. However, he didn’t hear his calling to be a filmmaker until he was well into his teens.

In 2008, he started Basiliciak, a small production company funded solely by contributions from supporters. He produced three films with Basiliciak, including the highly acclaimed short film, AnnA, which was directed by his friend and business partner, Giuseppe Marco Albano. That partnership has grown and flourished over the years. Their most recent production is the short film, Thriller, about a Pugliese youngster who overcomes the financial hardships of his city by impersonating his idol, Michael Jackson. The film was catapulted into the limelight after winning Italian cinema’s most prestigious honor, the David di Donatello. Co-produced by the pair’s close friend, Huffington Post journalist and fellow filmmaker Sergio Ragone, the Lucano trio travels throughout Italy, presenting their award-winning film to enthusiastic audiences.

Thanks to social media, I’ve been connected with these filmmakers for years and I’ve watched their progress with each new project. I was so happy to see the huge success of Thriller, so I contacted Angelo Troiano for an interview. I found a well-spoken young man truly passionate about his work and his origins. I asked him about this phenomenon called Thriller, and the filmmaking boom currently taking place in his beautiful region of Basilicata.

First, tell me about the story of this boy, the protagonist in your short film, Thriller.
Michele is a huge fan of Michael Jackson to the point of dressing up and moving like him every moment of the day. The film takes place in Taranto, located in the southern region of Puglia. There, everyone recognizes his talent and they know it’s just a matter of time before he ends up on television. But when that day finally comes, his father is unable to accompany him on the trip to the studios due to a workers’ strike. The boy uses his imagination to come up with a solution to keep him from losing his dream. It’s a story of hope in a city that has so much to offer beyond the current issues related to the environment and health.

This film has been embraced by audiences all over Italy. What do you think are the qualities of this story that make it so loved?
Well as I said, it is a story of hope, from the perspective of someone surrounded by many other problems. I believe this aspect has moved people the most, from the citizens of Taranto to people all over Italy and parts of Europe. It also has an erratic pace as its tough subject matter alternates with some hilarious moments. I believe that Giuseppe Marco Albano really created a complete recipe.

Tell me about your evening at the David di Donatello awards.
It was obviously a unique and unforgettable emotion. I just hope the protagonist’s debut made an impact on Italian cinema. It was hard for us to believe that we actually won this prestigious award, but compliment after compliment from all the actors, directors and producers present made us realized that our dream had come true, and that it was a new starting point to do even more. Then to shake hands and speak with a legend like Quentin Tarantino, I think it was the icing on the cake. It was an unexpected turn of events and that will remain forever in our hearts.

Tell me about this “Land of Cinema” that Basilicata has become, and the future of filmmaking there.
Basilicata has the extraordinary advantage of possessing locations filled with ambience that suit any film of any genre. Also, the people of Basilicata realize the positive economic impact cinema can have on the region. The film industry of Basilicata is still working to develop its resources to facilitate the increase in film production. When everything is fully developed, Basilicata will be a perfect land of cinema. We are definitely on the right track.

Any plans for your next project?
I have a couple projects that I am working on with my partner, Giuseppe Marco Albano. One is a documentary about Italian society. Then, my different work experiences in Puglia presented me with the opportunity to learn more about this region. So, I am developing an ambitious project to reinforce the importance of short films that are often disdained in Italy.

Thriller is available to watch right here. The dialogue will be tough to follow if you don’t speak much Italian. However, the images and stellar performances make the story easy to follow.

Comments

A Conversation with Sergio Castellitto

Sergio Castellitto has made a profound impact on world cinema, both in front of and behind the camera. Born in Rome in 1953, Castellitto graduated from film school in 1978 and credits American cinema with pushing him toward a career in acting. His work has garnered numerous accolades, largely due to his immersive, original approach to projects in film, television and theatre. Castellitto is fluent in French and English, which has contributed mightily to his international stardom. But it's the actor's trademark brown eyes and charming everyman qualities that have lent his various characters -- even the ones that are rough around the edges -- an air of dignity that other actors might not have achieved. Sergio Castellitto and Margaret Mazzantini, 2005 Films such as "Paura e Amore," "L'uomo delle stelle," "Caterina va in città," and "Bella Martha" heralded Castellitto as a versatile artist with far-reaching abilities. But it ...

Golden Age Masterpiece: Luchino Visconti’s 1957 “White Nights”

Photo Credit: Archivio Luce Cinecittà Luchino Visconti’s 1957 film, “White Nights” (“Le notti bianche”), offers a thoughtful and poignant exploration of themes such as loneliness, desire and emotional vulnerability. Based on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novella of the same name, it transports the tale from 19th-century St. Petersburg to a dreamy mid-20th-century Italian setting. While Visconti remains largely faithful to Dostoevsky’s narrative, his characteristic style infuses the film with emotional depth, striking visuals, and a focus on class and societal constraints. The story follows a young man named Matteo, played by Marcello Mastroianni, who lives a solitary life in a small Italian town. One evening, he encounters a beautiful young woman named Natalia, portrayed by Austrian-Swiss actress Maria Schell, who is also feeling isolated. Although she is initially reluctant, Natalia eventually confides in Matteo about her love for a man who has promised to return and marry her, but he ha...

Alberto Sordi Like You've Never Seen Him..

Twenty two-year-old Alberto Sordi on the set of "I tre aquilotti" Directed by Mario Mattoli, the 1942 film"I tre aquilotti" (The Three Pilots) is set at the Royal Air Force Academy of Caserta where three students– Mario (Carlo Minello), Marco (Leonardo Cortese) and Filippo (Alberto Sordi) become close friends. Towards the end of his studies, Marco casually meets and falls in love with Mario's sister, Adriana (Michela Belmonte). Mario shows his opposition to Marco and this causes the end of their friendship. Due to an accident during a training flight, Marco is demoted from the sailors role to the service role, thus not getting the military pilot's license. After the end of the course, the three friends split up for various destinations but all three find themselves in Russia, with Mario and Filippo already decorated with medals of merit, while Marco is in charge of logistics services. During a war action Mario is hit in flight and is forced to land in en...

Sergio Leone: Recreating the American Cowboy

Henry Fonda in "Once Upon a Time in the West" He's an Italian filmmaker who left his mark on the world by telling uniquely American stories. Known throughout the world for his iconic Spaghetti Westerns, Sergio Leone comes from a family of filmmakers. His mother, Edvige Valcarenghi whose stage name was Bice Walerian, was a silent movie actress who gave up her career to become a wife and mother when she married Vincenzo Leone in 1916. Vincenzo whose stage name was Roberto Roberti, was a noted filmmaker who directed and acted in movies during the silent film era. He actually tried to discourage his son from pursuing a career in cinema, so Sergio Leone briefly studied law. But then fate stepped in and he landed a position as an assistant on Vittorio De Sica ’s "The Bicycle Thieves" in 1948. Leone also briefly appears in the film, as part of a group of German priests taking shelter from the rain. Although he emerged during the rise of Neorealism, Leone mig...

Ornella Muti: Five decades of Acting and Still Going Strong

Ornella Muti was born Francesca Romana Rivelli in Rome in 1955 to a Neapolitan father and an Estonian mother. She began her career as a model during her teenage years and made her film debut in 1970 with “La Moglie più bella” (The Most Beautiful Wife). Her follow-up role was in the 1971 film, “Sole nella pelle” (Sun on the Skin), in which she played the daughter of wealthy parents who runs off with a hippie they don’t approve of. The film offers a telling journey through Italian society in the seventies, with its political climate, breathtaking seaside, and the styles and cars of that time. Much of the film is set amid the sunny Italian seaside and captures the innocence and beauty of first love. Muti made her American film debut in 1980 with "Flash Gordon." She played the role of Princess Aura. She’s appeared in two other American films, including “Oscar,” directed by John Landis and starring Don Ameche, Chazz Palminteri, and Sylvester Stallone. In 1992, she w...

Italian Cinema Today

Search This Blog