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Interview: Actor Valentino Campitelli of Italy's Oscar Entry "Non Essere Cattivo"

Update May 2016
"Non essere cattivo" will be shown on June 2, 2016 on Opening Night of "Open Roads: New Italian Cinema" at Lincoln Center in New York. Click here for the complete schedule.

Italy’s Oscar contender is about to make its U.S. premiere. Claudio Caligari’s “Non essere cattivo” (Don’t Be Bad) is in the lineup of “Cinema Italian Style” - LA’s annual showcase of contemporary Italian cinema. Produced by Luce Cinecittà and the American Cinematheque, and under the artistic director of Italian journalist Laura Delli Colli, the festival is celebrating its 11th year with 11 fantastic, newly released films. See the complete lineup here.  

Produced by actor Valerio Mastandrea, “Non essere cattivo” premiered at this year’s Venice Film Festival and was released shortly thereafter in Italy. Set in the 90’s along the Roman seaside town of Ostia, the story’s focus is on a band of six close friends led by Vittorio and Cesare. Their world is dominated by quick money, nightclubs, crime and drugs. In their early twenties, they are all in search of success and the path to find it. “Non essere cattivo” is a story of overcoming the odds and struggling for a better life in the face of addiction and temptation. But overall, it’s a story of friendship- friends never giving up on each other even in the darkest of days. The director, Claudio Caligari lost his battle to cancer in May at the age of 67. He never got to see the international success of his last film. However, the whole cast and crew is seeing to it that this film will indeed make its mark. 

I spoke with actor Valentino Campitelli about his role in “Non essere cattivo” and what it was like to work with director Claudio Caligari.  

First, tell me about your character.
My character is one of the guys in the group, a friend of the protagonists Caesar and Vittorio. There are four of us that are a little less than perfect, so our nicknames are Il lungo (Tall), Il corto (short), Il brutto (ugly) and Il grasso (fat). I play Il grasso.  

Prima, mi racconta il tuo personaggio.
Il mio personaggio è uno dei ragazzi della banda, amico dei protagonisti Cesare e Vittorio..un po' succube del "brutto" che è in realtà un po' il "capetto" del gruppo. Il nome è "il grasso". Siamo 4 ragazzi della banda- amici dei protagonisti- il lungo, il corto, il brutto, il grasso.  

What are Grasso’s challenges?
Grasso’s biggest challenge was trying to pull off a robbery at a hair salon with his friend and crime partner, Lungo. The whole situation went up in smoke.  

Mi racconta le sfide di Grasso.
La piu grande sfida del "grasso" è solamente quella della rapina, dove insieme al Lungo prende in mano la situazione e prova a rapinare un negozio di parrucchiere ma tutto poi in realtà va in fumo. 

What were your challenges as an actor?
Just being in wardrobe carrying out a scene like that robbery was a huge challenge for me. Then there were the tight timetables in shooting and just working with a maestro like Caligari and two of the best young actors working in Italy today- Luca Marinelli and Alessandro Borghi.  

Mi racconta le sfide di te come attore.
Beh diciamo che gia fare un film in costume è una bella sfida., ma di sfide ce ne sono state tante, a partire dal girare una scena armato mentre si rapina un parrucchiere, agli orari estremi di lavorazione. ma forse la sfida mia personale piu importante era quella di girare questo film con il maestro Caligari e due protagonisti (Luca Marinelli e Alessandro Borghi) che sono tra i migliori giovani italiani del momento.  

Do you have a favorite scene?
My favorite scene is definitely the scene in which Vittorio has a vision. After popping some pills, he sees a bus with colorful people in the middle of the street much to Cesare's disbelief. Another scene that I hold close to my heart is a scene that takes place in the bathroom where Vittorio finds Linda snorting cocaine. The interpretations done by Alessandro Borghi and Roberta Mattei are truly EXCEPTIONAL.  

C’è una scena preferita?
La mia scena preferita è sicuramente la scena della visione di Vittorio, che dopo essersi "calato" delle pasticche, immagina un pullman con gente "variopinta" al centro della strada, tra l'incredulità di Cesare. Altra scena che pero' ho nel cuore, è la scena del bagno, dove Vittorio trova Linda che sta sniffando cocaina. C'è un'interpretazione da parte di Alessandro (Borghi) e Roberta (Mattei) che è una cosa ECCEZIONALE.  

What do you think of the worldwide success of the film?
Well I have many thoughts on the success of this film and they vary day by day. I keep thinking about Claudio and what he did for Italian cinema in general, telling a new and different story, and using cinema as a tool to communicate. I can’t help but think of my life after being a part of an Oscar-winning film.. but then my superstition kicks in. I am very much impressed by everything, everything that has happened, and has yet to happen. Claudio changed my life for the better, and I owe it to everyone that has been part of this wonderful journey.   

Dimmi quale sono i suoi pensieri sul successo mondiale del film.
I miei pensieri su questo successo sono tantissimi, e ogni giorno variano. Penso continuamente a Claudio e a quello che ha fatto per il cinema italiano in generale, raccontando sempre qualcosa di nuovo e di diverso, usando proprio il cinema come strumento per comunicare. Penso continuamente a come potrebbe essere la mia vita dopo aver partecipato ad un film che ha vinto l'oscar, pero' poi ci ripenso, sono scaramantico in ogni caso sono stato colpito moltissimo da tutto, tutto quello che è successo, e deve ancora succedere. Mi ha cambiato la vita. In meglio. E lo devo a tutti i ragazzi della banda caligari che hanno fatto parte di questo magnifico percorso.  

And speaking of Claudio Caligari and this being his last film, tell me about your experience working with him?
It was a fantastic experience, that before this film, I couldn’t even imagine. Claudio was an artist who achieved a great level of respect. Although at times, he was misunderstood. While we were shooting, I felt this film under my skin. It was an extraordinary feeling that never happened to me before. Now, I owe so much to the master.   

Mi puo’ descrivere la tua esperienza di lavorare on Claudio Caligari?
È stata un'esperienza fantastica, che prima del film non immaginavo minimamente. Claudio è stato un artista di grande rispetto e grande livello, a volte pero' non proprio compreso. Ecco questo ha fatto sì che durante le riprese del film, sentivo il cinema passare sulla mia pelle, qualcosa che fino a quell'ora non mi era mai successa.  

If you’re in LA, “Non essere cattivo” will be shown Thursday, November 12 at 6:30 PM at the Egyptian Theater. Click here for tickets.

Check out the trailer.. https://vimeo.com/143773222

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