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Basilicata: Terra di Cinema - Interview with Filmmaker Andrea Filardi

Update: May 5, 2016
It's just been announced that "Tutti gli Uomini hanno un Prezzo" will be featured in the 2016 Cannes Film Festival in the section- Short Film Corner. See the festival's catalog for more information.

(Intervista anche in italiano)

At just 23-years-old, Andrea Filardi is getting international recognition for his poetic style of storytelling inspired by his southern Italian roots.

His short film, “Tutti gli uomini hanno un prezzo” (All Men Have a Price) was a project he and his classmates created during a filmmaking course in his region of Basilicata. Top-notch actors, dedicated instructors, an enthusiastic crew and the passion they share for talking about a grave issue facing their land, led to a momentous student film and a beautiful, poignant story about the connection to one’s origins shadowed by the desperation for survival. The film has received its share of well-deserved praise and just recently, was acknowledged in the U.S. by three online film festivals. 

Filardi was born and raised Lauria or as he proudly boasts- “the town of Rocco Papaleo”. He attended the University of Salerno where he earned his degree in literature. He is currently attending the Hochschule der Medien in Stuttgart, where he is furthering his education in filmmaking. I spoke with Andrea Filardi about his promising career and the influence of Basilicata on his work. Our interview was done in Italian, so both versions are included. 

How has your land of Basilicata influenced your work as an artist?
For me, roots are important. I am very attached to my land, although in the last three years I have lived more abroad than in Basilicata. This link with Basilicata is naturally reflected in my way of thinking about directing. The words of Leonardo Sinisgalli explain this concept: "The Lucano never feels satisfied with what he has done because he feels like it’s never enough. The Lucano is always haunted by the demons of discontent.” This same feeling of dissatisfaction is always with me. Even when I am on the set, I never settle for anything. I always search for a way to improve and to do better. When we were shooting the scenes for “Tutti gli uomini hanno un prezzo”, we would reshoot many times without going forward until I achieved the result I wanted. 
 
La Basilicata ha influenzato il tuo lavoro come artista?
Per me le radici sono importanti. Sono molto legato alla mia terra, anche se negli ultimi tre anni ho vissuto più all’estero che in Basilicata. Questo legame con la Basilicata naturalmente si riflette nel mio modo di concepire la regia. Vorrei usare le parole di Leonardo Sinisgalli, per spiegare meglio questo concetto. “Il lucano non si consola mai di quello che ha fatto, non gli basta mai quello che fa. Il lucano è perseguitato dal demone della insoddisfazione”. La stessa insoddisfazione mi accompagna perennemente, anche sul set naturalmente e mi porta a non accontentarmi mai, anzi a ricercare sempre un modo per migliorare, per fare meglio. Per questo motivo quando giravamo il cortometraggio ripetevamo le scene molte volte senza andare avanti finché non si raggiungeva il risultato che volevo.   
 
How did the story for "Tutti gli Uomini hanno un Prezzo" come about? Why did you want to talk about the oil?
The short film was part of a course I took called, "Ciak Basilicata" which is an integral part of the program Contemporary Senses Cinema, coordinated by CinemadaMare. Franco Rina is the director and it’s organized in collaboration with the Region of Basilicata. We chose this theme because the question of oil in Basilicata is a live issue, and unfortunately this is not always clear. The newspapers do not mention it, except for when it’s absolutely necessary (such as accidents in the oil center) but then it’s forgotten again. For this reason the oil issue in the film remains a constant black shadow in the story. “Tutti gli uomini hanno un prezzo” is based on a true story that really happened to a family of Lucania. Since working on the script, a lot of things have changed, but the meaning of the story remains the same.

Come nasce la storia "Tutti gli Uomini hanno un Prezzo"? Perchè volevi parlare del petrolio?
Il corto si colloca all’interno di un percorso di formazione “Ciak Basilicata” che è parte integrante del programma Sensi Contemporanei Cinema, coordinato da CinemadaMare nella persona del direttore Franco Rina ed è realizzato in collaborazione con la Regione Basilicata.  Abbiamo scelto questo tema, perché la questione del petrolio in Basilicata è una questione viva, presente e purtroppo non chiara. I giornali non ne parlano, diciamo che sussurrano qualcosa solo quando è strettamente necessario (come ad esempio gli incidenti nel centro oli) ma subito dopo tutto ritorna sullo sfondo. È per questo motivo che nel corto il “petrolio”, causa scatenante di tutta la vicenda, rimane sempre un’ombra nera sullo sfondo della storia, viene nominato quasi sottovoce una sola volta in tutto il corto. “Tutti gli Uomini hanno un prezzo” è tratto da una storia vera, realmente accaduta ad una famiglia lucana. Poi però lavorando sulla sceneggiatura molte cose sono state cambiate, ma il significato della vicenda è rimasto lo stesso.   

Where was the film shot?
It was shot at the agriturismo, “La Collinetta” in Nova Siri, which is located in the province of Matera. The owner, Pierlucio Ferrara, that in the film was the character, Nicola, was very kind and gave us complete access to shoot scenes inside and outside of the estate, while the scenes of Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly” were shot at the Teatro Regio di Parma, for which I am still grateful.  
 
 
Dov'è il posto del film?
Il Cortometraggio è stato girato interamente a Nova Siri, in provincia di Matera, all’interno dell’Agriturismo “LA COLLINETTA”. Il proprietario, Pierlucio Ferrara, che nel corto l’ho voluto come interprete di Nicola, è stato molto gentile e disponibile mettendoci a disposizioni tutti i locali interni ed esterni della sua tenuta. Mentre le scene della “Madama Butterfly” di Puccini sono state girate al Teatro Regio di Parma, che ringrazio ancora.   

What do you feel are the qualities that make Basilicata this land of cinema?
Surely the first quality that comes to mind is Basilicata’s landscape- the richness and variety. You can still find these genuine, untouched spaces within a few kilometers of each other. The barren and arid landscapes of the Calanchi, the vast greenery of Metaponto, the rugged coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea, the snow-covered mountains of Sirino and of course the ancient architecture of the towns, Matera in particular, make Basilicata perfect for filming. The availability and diversity of the landscapes can bring down the costs of moving from location to location. I hope that Basilicata will continue to attract film productions and will continue to produce homegrown artists, and thus truly become the “land of cinema” for artists who want to show the reality in which they live or where they grew up. 
 
 
Quali sono le qualità che fanno della Basilicata una terra di cinema?
Sicuramente la prima qualità della Basilicata è la ricchezza e la varietà di panorami molto particolari. È possibile trovare ambienti ancora autentici nell’arco di pochi chilometri. Dai paesaggi brulli e aridi dei calanchi, alle distese verdi del metapontino, dalle coste frastagliate sul Tirreno alle nevi del Sirino e naturalmente alle antiche architetture dei centri abitati, prima fra tutti Matera. Questo la rende perfetta per le produzioni cinematografiche, perché c’è la disponibilità di paesaggi molto variegati e si possono abbattere i costi di spostamento. Io spero però che, insieme ai paesaggi, la Basilicata riesca sempre più ad attirare produzioni cinematografiche anche e soprattutto per gli autori lucani. E quindi diventare davvero “Terra di Cinema” per le maestranze artistiche che decideranno di raccontare la realtà in cui vivono o in cui sono cresciuti.    

How did you end up working with filmmaker Antonio Andrisani?
Antonio Andrisani was the main actor of a masterclass in Ciak Basilicata, back when we were writing the screenplays. Then I contacted him to offer him this part. Despite being very busy with the preparation of his current project with Pascal Zullino, after reading the script for my short, he immediately accepted my offer. He is always very open and attentive to new projects by young filmmakers. Working with him was truly inspiring. 

Come sei arrivato a lavorare con Antonio Andrisani?
Antonio Andrisani era stato protagonista di una masterclass a Ciak Basilicata, quando ancora stavamo scrivendo le sceneggiature. Poi l’ho contattato per proporgli di interpretare il politico e nonostante fosse molto impegnato con la preparazione del suo film diretto insieme a Pascal Zullino, dopo aver letto la sceneggiatura del corto, mi ha subito dato la disponibilità. Lui è sempre molto aperto ed attento alle nuove proposte dei giovani e lavorare con lui è stato davvero stimolante.   


So what’s your next project?
I am currently working on a new short film made entirely in Stuttgart, Germany. I am the assistant director and screenwriter. It’s adapted from Anton Chekhov's "The Kiss". The film is part of a filmmaking course of HdM - Stuttgart and it’s been a great training experience. There were 70 of us on the set with an international crew that communicated in English even though the short is in German. I'm also writing a new script to be shot in Basilicata, but it’s still in its infancy. 

Stai facendo un nuovo progetto?
Sì, al momento sto lavorando su un nuovo cortometraggio interamente realizzato in Germania, a Stoccarda. Io ho curato l’aiuto regia e la sceneggiatura, tratta dal racconto breve di Anton Cechov “The kiss”. Il corto fa parte di un corso di formazione della HdM – Stuttgart ed è stata una bella prova lavorativa. Sul set erano coinvolti più di settanta comparse, la troupe internazionale comunicava in inglese ma il corto è in lingua tedesca.  Inoltre sto scrivendo anche una nuova sceneggiatura da girare in Basilicata, ma ancora è in fase embrionale.   

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