Italy
Marpiccolo
2009 – 35mm – colore – 86’
Direction: Alessandro Di Robilant
Literary author: Andrea Cotti
Screenplay: Andrea Cotti, Leonardo Fasoli, Maddalena Ravagli
Cinematography: David Scott
Editing: Roberto Missiroli
Set design: Sabrina Balestra
Music: Mokadelic
Costumes: Ilaria Albanese
Cast: Giulio Beranek, Anna Ferruzzo, Selenia Orzella, Michele Riondino, Nicola Rignanese, Roberto Bovenga, Maria Pia Autorino, Giorgio Colangeli, Valentina Carnelutti
Producers: Marco Donati
Production: Overlook Production, RAI Cinema
SYNOPSIS
Taranto, Paolo VI district, the southern area of the city. There seventeen-year-old Tiziano lives among uneven roads and prefabricated buildings, where it is no use looking for bookshops, chemist's or department stores. There is nothing apart from a few bars, groceries and machine shops. Tiziano seldom goes to school and his family is messed up. Dreaming of escaping, he works for Tanio, a local boss, but his future seems to be sealed, especially when he ends up in the detention centre. But he doesn't give up and with him, willing to give him another chance, there are also a prison guard, his girlfriend, his younger sister, his mother, his father and the Italian teacher in his school.
CRITICAL NOTE
“The borderline adolescence of a boy from Taranto with a thousand qualities and no hope in a film frank, impassioned, full of naivety and of emphasis, an absorbing and moving film, uncommon for our prig and sermonizing cinema.” (Fabio Ferzetti, Il Messaggero)
MICHELE RIONDINO - BIOGRAPHY
He studied drama at the National Academy of Drama Silvio D'Amico, graduating in 2000. His career starts on the theatre stage where he had the chance to work, already from the time of his studies, with important professionals such as Giuseppe Patroni Griffi, Marco Bellocchio, Emma Dante, Marco Baliani. After playing several roles in important Italian TV series, without leaving on the side his commitment to the creation of new theatre plays, Michele gains the most important role of his career in The past is a foreign land by Daniele Vicari, for which he wins the L.A.R.A. Award as Best Actor at “Festival del Cinema di Roma” (2008) and the special mention at the Miami Film Festival as Best Actor. From 2008 Michele obtains a fairly vast success and several awards, such as the Golden Graal 2009 as Rising Star and the nomination at Silver ribbons 2009 for his interpretations in films such as Fortapasc by Marco Risi, Marpiccolo by Alessandro di Robilant, selected in the Alice in the City section of the “Festival internazionale del film di Roma” 2009, and Ten winters by Valerio Mieli, selected at the Tokyo Film Festival and already presented at Venice Film Festival in the “Controcampo Italiano” section. Currently still in post production, there are Henry by Alessandro Piva and Noi credevamo by Mario Martone which are both expected to be released in 2010.
AWARDS
2008 Roma Festival: Premio L.A.R.A. Best Actor (Il passato è una terra straniera)
2008 Miami Festival: Best Actor (Il passato è una terra straniera)
2009 Golden Graal: Rising Star Award
FILMOGRAFIA
2000 Gabriele
2002 Medicina (corto)
2002 Uomini & donne, verità & bugie
2003 Vite a confronto (corto)
2007 Aria
2007 Il passato è una terra straniera
2008 Fortapasch
2008 Marpiccolo
2009 10 inverni
2009 Henry
2009 Noi credevamo
