A Conversation with Director Luca Caserta

Luca Caserta's 2019 short film "Dimmi chi sono" (Tell Me Who I Am) has received high acclaim from every corner of the globe.

"Dimmi chi sono" is the story of a young mother who is violently attacked during a walk and is so traumatized that she loses her memory, taking shelter in an abandoned house and doing what she can to get by. The film was inspired by a true story that Caserta saw on the news in northern Italy.

Actress Elisa Bertato delicately balances the myriad of emotions that her character is feeling, including fear, loneliness, confusion, and determination. The film speaks to the international movement aimed at ending violence against women and has taken on its own voice in spreading awareness of the movement throughout the world.

The soundtrack includes the song "Piccola stella senza cielo" by the Italian rock star Luciano Ligabue, courtesy of the artist himself and Warner Music Italia/Warner Chappell Music Italiana.

The film was recently in the lineup of the Italian Section of the Rochester Independent Global Film Series, which I curated, and, in doing so, I had the opportunity to speak with the filmmakers about the stories behind their works. Check out highlights from my interview with Caserta..

Born in an artistically inspiring environment within a family of directors, writers, and actors, Caserta earned a Master’s degree in Prehistoric Archaeology before deciding to pursue an artistic career. He began by working in theater. He then pursued a filmmaking degree at the Movie Academy of Cinecittà in Rome, studying under the direction of Golden Age director and screenwriter Carlo Lizzani along with Giacomo Scarpelli, Cristiano Bortone, Franco Brogi Taviani, and Mario Brenta. He also studied cinematography with Giuseppe Pinori, Daniele Nannuzzi, and Giuseppe Berardini and attended workshops by Pupi Avati, Carlo Verdone, and Luis Bacalov.

At Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome he attended the intensive laboratory in direction of photography with Giuseppe Lanci and took part in several workshops, including “Working with the light” with the director of photography Alessandro Pesci.

Since completing his studies, he has dedicated himself exclusively to cinema and audiovisuals. He's made short films, documentaries, music videos, commercials, and art videos. His works have been presented at many festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival, Premi David di Donatello, Berlin European Short Film Festival, Roma Cinema DOC, Miami Independent Film Festival, Los Angeles CineFest, Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival, and many more.

In 2011, he wrote, directed, and co-produced the short film “Inside the Mirror” with editing supervision by Ugo De Rossi, who worked with many maestros of Italian cinema, including Federico Fellini, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Bernardo Bertolucci, and Francesco Rosi. The film, along with “Out of the Depths" (2014) and “The Other Side of the Moon” (2016) is part of the “trilogy on the double," which focuses on the investigation of what is hidden in the deepest part of the human soul. “Out of the Depths” was acquired by IndiePix Films, which offers it on demand in the United States and worldwide through its website. Click here to watch it.

Caserta is currently working on his first feature film. Click here to follow him on Instagram.

Comments

Anna Foglietta: Actress and Activist with Old School Elegance

One look at actress Anna Foglietta in her any of her roles, and the Golden Age of Italian cinema comes to mind. Among Italy’s most sought-after actresses today, Foglietta brings to the table a classic eloquence of yesterday while representing Italy’s modern woman. Born in Rome in 1979, Foglietta began her career in 2005 with a role in the RAI television series La squadra . Her character Agent Anna De Luca had a two-year run on the series as she was transitioning to cinema with Paolo Virzì’s 2006 ensemble project 4-4-2- Il gioco più bello del mondo . Since then, she has become one of Italy’s most diverse actresses, transforming herself into interesting, layered characters for comedies and dramas alike. Aside from a small part in Anton Corbijn’s 2010 film The American starring George Clooney, Foglietta’s work began reaching mainstream American audiences in 2015. As Elisa in Edoardo Leo’s 2015 comedy Noi e la Giulia , Foglietta showed her funny side playing a goofball pregn...

La Grande Bellezza of Sabrina Ferilli

The 2015 Rome Premiere of "Io e Lei" Sabrina Ferilli has been gracing Italian screens, big and small, since the mid-80s. With her recent role in Paolo Sorrentino's international blockbuster, "La Grande Bellezza" (The Great Beauty), audiences throughout the world are getting the chance to see why she is one of Italy's most beloved treasures. Born in Rome in 1964, Sabrina Ferilli is the daughter of Giuliano Ferilli, the former leader of the Communist Party of the Lazio Region. Ferilli attempted to study her craft at Rome's Experimental Center of Cinematography, but later decided to abandon her studies and dive right into her career. Time has proven that she made the right choice. With dozens of movies to her credit, Ferilli has appeared on television and on the big screen, becoming a household name in Italy. Ferilli is the very portrait of Italian beauty with her infamous figure, long brown locks and dark eyes. But as cliched as it may sound, s...

Director Gianni Di Gregorio explores relationships in later life with 'Never Too Late for Love'

In “Astolfo” (“Never Too Late for Love”), director Gianni Di Gregorio delivers a coming-of-age film for the golden years of life about a retired professor who leaves Rome to return to a tiny mountain village in Abruzzo. The film opens with the title character, played by Di Gregorio, walking through the streets of his Roman neighborhood, groceries in hand, only to find his landlord waiting for him when he arrives home. She is there to announce that he will have to vacate his humble residence to make way for her daughter, who is getting married soon. After some contemplation, he calls his ex-wife to ask her about an old family castle he split with her in their divorce. When she confirms that a portion of the castle is his for the taking, he gleefully returns to his spacious new home only to discover it has been occupied by a squatter, who turns out to be an acquaintance from his childhood who is also down on his luck. Without hesitation, Astolfo adopts the man as his roommate. ...

Paola Cortellesi shines as La Befana in a family comedy blending tradition and modernity

A wildly successful Christmastime film, earning over $8 million at the box office when it premiered in 2018, "La befana vien di notte" (“The Legend of the Christmas Witch”) is a wholesome holiday comedy that the whole family can watch. Directed by Michele Soavi, the film stars two of Italy's most diverse contemporary actors, Paola Cortellesi and Stefano Fresi, as gift-giving foes. Paola (Cortellesi) is a grammar schoolteacher by day, but at night, she turns into La Befana, the Christmas witch, a mystical being who brings gifts to the good kids and coal to the naughty ones. On one of her Befana nights, she was attacked by a dog that tore her Befana gift list. When she returned home from a night of riding on her broomstick, delivering gifts to children all over the world, she realized that she had forgotten one child. When she discovered the torn-up list, she figured out who the child was, got back on her broom, and headed straight to his house. Having arrived late, the b...

Nicoletta Braschi and Roberto Benigni.. What cinema dreams are made of

The Toronto International Film Festival is wrapping up its retrospective of the cinematic collaboration of husband and wife team, Nicoletta Braschi and Roberto Benigni. Over the last few days, the couple have participated in discussions, Q & A sessions and have introduced several of their films. Today, I attended a screening of "La voce della luna" (The voice of the moon). It was Federico Fellini's last film and is a wonderful tribute to the director's signature poetic madness. The film gave Benigni the opportunity to team up with fellow beloved comic, Paolo Villaggio, and the two created a truly unforgettable adventure. Today's screening began with an introduction by Benigni. The moments leading up to his introduction were noticeably serious and somewhat tense. Benigni's publicist and TIFF security staunchly guarded his privacy. There was no interaction and no photos were allowed. Guided by ...

Italian Cinema Today

Search This Blog