Claudio Santamaria: Cinematic Chameleon

Claudio Santamaria and his wife author/journalist Francesca Barra in Rome

A recent New York Times Magazine article stated the actors belonging to the new concept of a character actor are, instead of playing types, hired for “their ability to play no type at all, to disappear into roles completely while at the same time imbuing their performances with something memorable; they are chameleons in the truest sense of that word.” This description certainly applies to Claudio Santamaria.

Born in Rome in 1974, Santamaria began his acting career in 1997, quickly making a name for himself while working with the likes of Bernardo Bertolucci, Bud Spencer and Monica Bellucci. In 2001, he emerged as a major force in contemporary Italian cinema with his performance in Gabriele Muccino’s record-breaking "l'ultimo bacio" (The Last Kiss). As Paolo, brash Gen Xer forced to come to terms with getting older, being responsible and letting go of a lost love, he plays the leader of a pack with whom countless young adults in Italy could identify. The film broke box office records there and earned Muccino Best Director and Best Screenplay prizes at the David di Donatello Awards as well as the Audience Award at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. In 2010, Santamaria reunited with Muccino and the cast for a reprisal of his their roles in "Baciami ancora" (Kiss Me Again).

In Emanuele Crialese’s 2011 "Terraferma," Santamaria has a small but powerful role as a police chief cracking down on the fishermen helping clandestine immigrants enter the island of Lampedusa. Santamaria’s character is a law-enforcer showing no sympathy for acts of kindness towards the refugees. Though his appearance is brief, his presence and command prove that, even with just a few lines, Santamaria can make a strong statement.

Gabriele Mainetti’s "Lo chiamavano Jeeg Robot" (They Call Me Jeeg Robot) was a wildly imaginative runaway success in 2015, and much of the credit for that goes to Santamaria’s outstanding performance. A classic tale of good vs. evil that combines the thrills of an action adventure and the suspense of a horror movie, the film pits Santamaria’s flawed hero against a villainous gangster played by Luca Marinelli. Watching these two talented actors fully immerse themselves in their roles is awe-inspiring. Santamaria plays Enzo, a loner who obsessively eats eating single-serving puddings and robs ATM machines. After being chased by the police, he falls into Rome’s Tiber River and is exposed to radioactive waste, which gives him super powers and strength beyond his wildest dreams. Along the way, he meets and falls in love with Alessia. She inspires him to use his super-human abilities to make the world a better place. When Marinelli’s character "The Gypsy" catches wind of Enzo’s new skill set, he hunts him down and that’s when the real fun begins. Santamaria delivers an empathic performance that makes the audience root for him despite his flaws.

"The Millionairs"

Last year, Santamaria stepped behind the camera and directed his second short film. "The Millionairs" is a noir-style tale of deception and desperation fueled by greed. Brimming with suspicious characters, suspenseful scenes and dark landscapes, the film was produced by Marinetti and features a diverse cast, which includes Peppe Servillo and Sabrina Impacciatore, and has earned rave reviews. The project brought Santamaria back to his southern roots. Set in the mountainous terrain of Basilicata's Pollino National Park, the largest protected area in Europe, the film was the first official project of Lu.Ca., an initiative to bring together the film commissions of Calabria and Basilicata. Santamaria and Mainetti have co-presented "The Millionairs" at numerous film festivals. In November, Santamaria brought the film to this side of the Atlantic, presenting it at the 13th edition of the Cinema Italian Style fest in Los Angeles.

When he’s not making and promoting films, Santamaria has been seen out and about with the woman in his life, journalist and novelist Francesca Barra. Both with origins in Basilicata, the two originally met as teenagers when they shared a special slow dance while on summer break with their families. They went their separate ways and last year, rekindled that spark of many years ago.

Santamaria recently wrapped up shooting on Antonio Morabito’s "Rimetti a noi i nostri debiti" (Forgive Us Our Debts) which focuses on the victims of a loan shark. The project is currently in post-production. "The Last Kiss," "They Call Me Jeeg Robot" and "Terraferma" are available through Amazon.

- Jeannine Guilyard

Comments

A Conversation with Actor Mirko Frezza of David di Donatello Winner "Il più grande sogno"

The 2017 David di Donatello award show, which took place on Monday, was an exciting event that celebrated many great contemporary talents of Italian cinema. I was fortunate to have seen most of the nominees. Among my personal favorites is Michele Vannucci's Il più grande sogno simply because it is based on one of the most inspiring, beautiful stories I've ever heard, and the person behind that story is as authentic and down-to-earth as they come. The film won the 3 Future Award, which is determined by the public. With Director Michele Vannucci and Actor Mirko Frezza I first saw Il più grande sogno last September when it premiered at the Venice Film Festival. I didn't make it to Venice, but thanks to a great online platform called Festival Scope , which offers a handful of premieres to be screened on the web, I felt like I was there. The film itself blew me away, and then when I realized it was based on a true story, I knew t...

The Timeless Talent of Stefania Sandrelli

On screen since the tender age of 14, she has captivated audiences for more than 50 years with a compelling combination of strength and vulnerability. She achieved stardom at just 14 years old playing the angelic cousin of a love-struck Marcello Mastroianni in Pietro Germi’s “Divorce Italian Style.” More than half a century later, she is still going strong and remains one of Italy’s most esteemed actors. Stefania Sandrelli was born on June 5, 1946, in Viareggio in the province of Lucca in northern Italy. As a child, she studied music and dance. Then in 1960, she won a beauty pageant and was featured on the cover of Le Ore magazine. Her purity captivated the country and shortly thereafter, movie offers began pouring in. Just one year later, she made her cinema debut in three feature films: Mario Sequi’s Gioventù di notte , Luciano Salce’s The Fascist, and Pietro Germi’s Divorce Italian Style . She instantly became a star and before long was a key figure in Italy’s legend...

Film at Lincoln Center honors Monica Vitti with retrospective featuring restored classics

Photo Courtesy of Archivio Luce-Cinecitt à A retrospective dedicated to the films of Italian cinema icon Monica Vitti will be held from June 6 to June 19 at Lincoln Center in New York City. The 14-film series, titled "Monica Vitti: La Modernista," is presented by Film at Lincoln Center and Cinecittà and marks the first North American retrospective celebrating Vitti's 35-year career. "We are pleased to partner with Cinecittà to celebrate one of Italy's most revered actresses," said Film at Lincoln Center Vice President of Programming Florence Almozini. "It is a privilege to present decades' worth of films from Monica Vitti's illustrious and prolific career, especially with many restored versions of her legendary works." Monica Vitti, a key figure in film history, began her career in the mid-1950s and quickly became a captivating presence on screen. Her collaboration with director Michelangelo Antonioni produced memorable films in the 196...

The Sweetness and Genius of Giulietta Masina

Fellini and Masina on the set of "La Strada" As open-hearted and sunny as Federico Fellini was dark and complex, they were perfect counterpoints during a half-century of marriage and professional collaboration. Nicknamed a “female Chaplin” and described by Chaplin himself as the actress who moved him most, Giulietta Masina confronted the tragedy of her characters with an eternal innocence and enthusiasm that gave Italians hope in the most challenging of times. Born in 1921 in San Giorgio di Piano, a commune north of Bologna, Masina was the oldest of four children born to a father who was a music professor and violinist and a mother who was a grade-school teacher. Her parents sent her as a child to live in Rome with her widowed aunt while she attended school there. As Masina took an early interest in gymnastics, her aunt saw in her a passion for performing and encouraged her to pursue acting. So after high school, Masina attended Rome’s La...

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...

Italian Cinema Today

Search This Blog