Lorenzo Tiberia looks at a serious social issue within the context of the ballet in the new short drama TUTU.
Film And TV Now spoke with the film-maker about the short.
Anorexia is still a very serious issue for young girls. What was the start-off point for the script?
Unfortunately, anorexia is a very serious problem. It is the leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 12 and 25 excluding traffic accidents.
Reading this data, I was so impressed that I wanted to learn more about such a sensitive issue. I was anxious to write a script that would highlight the dynamics that lead teenagers to fall into the abyss of this disease.
The world of ballet has been explored in cinema with effective results in the likes of BLACK SWAN and the remake of SUSPIRIA. What fascinates you about this world?
The world of ballet as well as all performing arts on a stage has something magical. The graceful movements of dancers, their relentless pursuit of perfection, their meticulous attention to detail, dedication, passion, perseverance and tenacity have always fascinated me.
Many films about the world of ballet, skating or theater have wonderful and moving scenes within them. These are artistic expressions that lend themselves greatly to cinema, and to tell them in a film is like generating a creative fusion between two or more arts.
Tell us about your cast.
The main character Ester is Sofia D’Elia, a young girl born in 2006 with boundless talent. At the first audition I already knew that she would be the actress I needed. Sofia, although very young, had already acted in a movie at the cinema, “Hill of Vision“, with an important role. She had the ability to channel into the character everything I had asked of her by bringing Ester’s inner world to life.
The co-star Sara is Francesca Morena Mileti. For her it was the first time in front of a camera and we scouted her in an acting school in Puglia. Despite having no experience whatsoever, Francesca faced the character of Sara with a maturity, talent and professionalism uncommon for her age.
The other actors Michele Sinisi, Maria Pia Autorino, Elisabetta Aloia, Emanuele Zollino, Tommaso Ancona, Donato Laborante, Giada Palmitessa, and Miriana Binetti were flawless in their performances, creating an exceptional cast together with the two protagonists.
Tell us about your production team.
“Tutu” was produced by Prem1ere Film, a leading company in the world of short films. Maria Pia Autorino, Saverio Pesapane and Roberto De Feo, partners in Premi1ere Film, gave me confidence and all the support I needed to make a short but also very complex work.
Where did you shoot and for how long?
The shooting took place in the town of Bisceglie (Apulia) in Italy, a wonderful small town with historic buildings, where we filmed for 4 days.
Tell us about the tutu that is the focus and the costume design of the film?
The Tutu in my short represents a metaphor for anorexia. It is a second skin that the protagonist, once fallen into the labyrinth of the disease, will no longer be able to get rid of herself.
The colors chosen black and white, represent good and evil, the choice between conscious and subconscious, a duality very present in people with this disease, a continuous struggle between construction (change) and destruction. White is light, the will to live and to free oneself from darkness; black is absence of light, the denial of hope related to the disease.
Would you like to expand on the issues and themes explored in this short into a feature idea?
Yes, I would love to expand these themes into a feature film and I’m sure I will eventually.
Tell us about the music used in the film.
The music used in the film is by internationally renowned composer Remo Anzovino. The soundtrack was crucial in enhancing the power of the images and the moods of the characters.
The music I chose fully represented the emotions I wanted to convey to the viewers, especially in the final part of the film where given the absence of dialogue, the images and music take over and give the film total empathy with Ester, with her desire to move forward despite the dark period of her friend’s illness and death.
You have an amazing presence online through your company Actual and have reached millions with web content. What are the key things you’ve learned from this aspect of your career?
What I learned from the company I founded “Actual” is that to achieve great results, you have to tell stories that people can identify with. By empathizing with my audience in an ironic and sarcastic way, I was able to say what people would want to communicate and I became a champion of their thinking. This brought me enormous success and to collaborate with so many important artists and brands in the international scene.
Who and what are your key cinematic influences?
My main artistic influence is Alfonso Cuaron because he is so talented and because in addition to directing, he devotes himself completely with body and soul to perfect all aspects of his films starting from writing, going through directing and cinematography until ending with editing.
And his being so multifaceted in all aspects of his work has strongly inspired me – to never settle and especially deepen all those aspects that can make my work better. In my opinion, “a film is always written three times: the first time in the script, the second time on the set and the third time in editing.”
Another influence is Wes Anderson because his distinct and recognizable style makes him unique. His way of doing comedy is realistic but with a surreal mise-en-scène, and from this contrast comes the self-ironic sense of his films.
What genres, issues and themes are you keen to explore in future work?
In my future work, I will definitely address social issues. I believe that cinema and television have a very powerful impact in raising awareness and opening people’s eyes and hearts with respect to these issues.
As far as genre is concerned, I believe that you can range from one genre to another or include multiple genres within the same film without betraying your style and the theme you have decided to address.
How has the festival circuit helped your film?
The festival circuit has helped my short film, because festivals are a vital showcase for short films that otherwise would not have the right visibility. Thanks to the many awards I won at festivals, I had the opportunity to make my first feature film.
Finally, what are you most proud of about this short?
What makes me most proud of my short film is the appreciation of so many people who suffer or have suffered from anorexia and who praised the way I approached the subject and the message of hope I wanted to communicate.
