"A Ciambra" - A Collaboration between the Regions of Basilicata and Calabria is Italy's Oscar Entry

It was just announced that Italy's entry for the Oscar race will be a small, independent film made in the south.

"A Ciambra," directed by Jonas Carpignano with Martin Scorsese as one of the executive producers, takes place within a small community in Calabria. 14-year-old Pio Amato is in a hurry to grow up and follows his older brother Cosimo everywhere. Through him, he learns how to navigate the streets of their hometown. One night, Pio sets out to prove to his brother that he is as good or better than him but when things go wrong, a series of events will forever change the way he sees the world.

The film is one of the first projects produced by Lu.Ca., a partnership between the regions of Basilicata and Calabria. Launched last year with the short film "The Millionairs," which also served as the directorial debut for award-winning actor Claudio Santamaria with his longtime friend and collaborator Gabriele Marinetti at the helm as executive producer, premiered at the 74th Venice Film Festival and a few weeks later at the Rome Creative Contest. I spoke with Paride Leporace, the director of the Lucana Film Commission, about Lu.Ca.'s mission and future projects. Our conversation was in Italian, so both versions are included.

Claudia Santamaria (L) and Gabriele Marinetti (R) present
"The Millionairs" at the Rome Creative Contest

So far, there have been two films coming out of this collaboration between Basilicata and Calabria.. Jonas Carpignano’s "A Ciambra" and Claudio Santamaria’s "The Millioniars." Tell me about this project, Lu.Ca. and how it works.

Lu.Ca. is an agreement between the two regions to work synergistically with the film commissions of Basilicata and Calabria on shared works. The projects made in their own territories are financed by the expenses allocated according to their pertinence. This allows for the productions to operate smoothly with small investments. Now we are working on a new short and a feature film on the Albanian populations of the two regions.

Finora, sono state due film usciti da questa collaborazione tra Basilicata e Calabria... "A Ciambra" e "The Millioniars." Raccontami questo progetto, LuCa.

LuCa e’ un accordo tra le due regioni per far operare in sinergia le film commission di Basilicata e Calabria su opere condivise sui propri territori e con le spese ripartite per le ricadute nelle proprie pertinenze. Tutto questo per consentire migliore operatività e ottenere economie di scale. I risultati sono stati conseguiti con piccoli investimenti. Ora sono in lavorazione un nuovo corto e un lungometraggio sulle popolazioni albanese delle due regioni.

Paride Leporace with Maratea Mayor Domenico Cipolla
at the Giornate del Cinema Lucana in July

Was "A Ciambra" shot in both regions?

A small story prologue was shot in Basilicata around the Senise Dam. It's great footage that should be included in the DVD version. The rest was shot in Gioia Tauro in Calabria.

"A Ciambra" e' stato girato in entrambe le regioni? (Ho letto solo la Calabria.)

"A Ciambra" ha realizzato un piccolo prologo alla storia girato attorno alla Diga di Senise. E' avanzato buon materiale che dovrebbe essere contenuto nel Dvd. Io spero in un corto firmato Carpignano come sequel del film. Il resto del film è stato girato a Gioia Tauro in Calabria.

Was there also a collaboration of regional actors and crew members?

Yes, a great location manager from Rotonda (In Basilicata) and a number of service providers in the area. Keep in mind that it’s a low-budget indie movie.

Ci sono attori e lavoratori della regione nel film?

Un bravissimo location manager di Rotonda e numerose aziende di servizi della zona. Ricordiamoci che è un film Indie a basso costo.

What's in the future for Lu.Ca.?

An international TV series and various screenplay development projects to be shot between Basilicata and Calabria.

Cosa c'è in futuro per Lu.Ca.?

Una serie tv internazionale e progetti di sviluppo per sceneggiature su progetti adeguati ad essere girati tra Basilicata e Calabria.

Stateside, "A Ciambra" will be shown at the upcoming Chicago Film Festival.

Comments

The Legend of Alberto Sordi - Rome's Eternal Son

′′They will always judge you, whether you behave well or if you behave badly. So screw it and live as you want but above all don't listen to anyone.′′ - Alberto Sordi By giving his fellow Italians something to laugh about during tumultuous times, he emerged as his generation’s King of Comedy. One of Italy’s best-loved personalities, Alberto Sordi played a pivotal role in Italian cinema from the end of World War II to the postwar economic boom of the 1950s. During those tumultuous years, he gave his countrymen a hearty laugh when they might have otherwise cried. Former Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi perhaps said it best: “Alberto Sordi interpreted the feelings of Italians, especially in their most difficult and tough moments.” Born in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome in 1920, Sordi grew up in a creative household. His mother was an elementary school teacher and his father, a professional musician for the Rome Opera House. A young Sordi joined the children’s choir o...

7 Days - 7 Women: Gina Lollobrigida

Update, January 16,2023: Gina Lollobrigida has passed away at the age of 95. On Day 3 of our week-long series, 7 Days - 7 Women, in which we are showcasing seven strong, talented women working as filmmakers, writers or visual artists, we celebrate the forceful, creative energy of movie legend Gina Lollobrigida. She has been called the most beautiful woman in the world and at 87 years old, she is still a sight to behold. Her outer beauty mirrors the talent and inner beauty of this true, complete artist. Lollobrigida, the iconic actress, photojournalist and sculptress, was born Luigina Lollobrigida on July 4, 1932 in Subiaco, Italy, a town located outside of Rome in the province of Lazio. Adored by fans all over the world, Lollobrigida has worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood including Humphrey Bogart, Rock Hudson, Frank Sinatra, Anthony Quinn and Shelly Winters. She acted opposite Bob Hope in his 1968 comedy, "The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell," and...

Federico Fellini: A Look into the Life and Career of an Icon

A Fellini family portrait “The term became a common word to describe something on the surface you can say is bizarre or strange, but actually is really like a painter working on a film,” said Martin Scorsese when asked to define “Felliniesque,” an adjective inspired by one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. The oldest of three children, Federico Fellini was born in the seaside town of Rimini in 1920. His father was a traveling salesman, so his mother was left to do the bulk of raising the children. One can argue that Fellini was born for his destiny. “You could tell that even as a child, he was different and unique. He was very intelligent, well above average. He was always the one to organize things, direct the others, make up games. He could control the other kids with just a look, said Fellini’s sister, Maddalena, in an interview with journalist Gideon Bachmann. Not only was Fellini directing the children, but he was also putting on shows and charging ...

Alessandro Gassmann: Born to Act

Alessandro Gassmannin his directorial debut "Razzabastarda" Alessandro Gassmann is the son of the iconic Italian actor/director Vittorio Gassman and French actress Juliette Mayniel. He was born in 1965 and grew up around cinema royalty. He made his cinema debut in 1982 at the age of 17 in his father's autobiographical film, "Di padre in figlio." He went on to study his craft under his father's direction at the Theatre Workshop of Florence. Vittorio Gassman was very active in theater and seemed just as comfortable on stage as he did in front of the camera. Known for his powerful interpretations of Dante's "Inferno" and "Paradiso," it is no surprise that he nurtured his son's acting aspirations on stage before he launched his career in television and film. One of Gassmann's strong qualities, which he undoubtedly inherited from his father is his incredible range and ease in going from genre to genre. He can play ...

Martin Scorsese's Voyage to Italy

Martin Scorsese’s deeply personal documentary “My Voyage to Italy” is an exploration of Italian cinema and the films that shaped him as a director and storyteller. Released in 1999, the documentary is both a history lesson on Italian cinema and an autobiography of Scorsese’s childhood and artistic influences. Using family movies and actual footage, Scorsese begins by explaining how important movies were during his childhood in New York’s Little Italy. Because he suffered from asthma, he could not play outside often, so he spent much of his time watching films with his family. Italian cinema became a way for him to connect with his heritage and understand the lives, emotions, and struggles of not only Italian people but also his close relatives. He notes that these films were different from Hollywood movies because they felt more realistic and emotional. A large part of the documentary focuses on the Italian Neorealism film movement that emerged in the wake of World War II. The fil...

Italian Cinema Today

Search This Blog