While "The Reach" relentlessly continues its journey through international festivals, I'm thrilled to present "Mariska", my new documentary. It will screen this afternoon in its World Premiere at the 15th Edition of the prestigious Carmarthen Bay Film Festival in the UK 🇬🇧, a BAFTA qualifying event, marking the official beginning of its journey. 🎬🏆
This project is very close to my heart: started back in 2014 (when my beard was still completely dark... 😉), it was halted multiple times due to production vicissitudes. Finally, the stars aligned, allowing me to complete it.
The protagonist is the partisan fighter Leda Azzalini, battle name "Mariska", who joined the Resistance at just 18 years old and risked her life multiple times fighting for freedom on the Cansiglio Plateau. When I recorded her, it was the very first time she had granted a public interview since the end of World War II, breaking a 70-year silence and making her testimony even more intense and moving. 🇮🇹🌹
My special thanks go to Leda, who recently turned 100, for her trust and for giving me the opportunity to tell her story.
Thank you also to:
✨ Ivana Azzalini (associate producer)
✨ Giancarlo Beltrame (for sparking the flame)
✨ Flavio G. Cuccurullo (for the deeply poetic soundtrack)
✨ Tommaso Ferrari (for the production sound mixing)
...and to everyone who joined in the making of this film, supporting it and making it possible.
The documentary is produced and distributed by Nuove Officine Cinematografiche.
Poster design by Angelica Caserta. ❤️
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