When life imitates art
After the recent box office success of Night Before the Exams, a new “generational” film (with a much smaller budget, however) on the lack of communication between parents and children is coming out in theatres today: Sopra e sotto il ponte (lit. “Above and Below the Bridge”), the debut feature by theatre director Alberto Bassetti, based on one his award-winning play of ten years ago. It may seem like an “instant movie” on the tragic events instigated by several teenagers who threw rocks from highway overpasses onto passing cars yet, as often happens, it was life that imitated art.
The story revolves around a couple of teenagers, both of whom have the same problems communicating with their parents. In the film’s opening scene, Alessandro (Lorenzo De Angelis) has a rock in his hand, ready to be hurled against the cars passing under the bridge. In the film’s final scene we will find out that in that moment, under the bridge, Alessandro’s father (Graziano Piazza) is about pass with his lover.
The ending is open: “Rather than offering answers,” explained the director, “we wanted to insinuate questions for audiences”, of which there will be few as the film is being released on only seven screens by Istituto Luce. Yet this is already something, said Ars Millennia producer Isabel Russinova. "After having received Article 8 funding for films of ‘national interest’”, she said, “under the new Urbani Law the film lost out on the opportunity to obtain distribution funds. After three years and a nice run on the festival circuit, from Montreal to Annecy, from Villerupt to Mons, it’s finally coming out in theatres”.
Other European titles in theatres today are The Edukators by Hans Weingartner, Cave of the Yellow Dog by Byambasuren Davaa, Basta un niente (lit. “Nothing is Enough”) by Ivan Polidoro, In ascolto (lit. “Listening) by Giacomo Martelli and Adam’s Apples [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Anders Thomas Jensen
interview: Mads Mikkelsen
interview: Tivi Magnusson
film profile] by Anders Thomas Jensen.
(Translated from Italian)
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