11/06/2007

In a deserted and inanimate Milan, 30 year-old Claudia (Anita Kravos) lives a methodical life suffocated by force of habit, until her new Russian teacher Boris (Paolo Pierobon) asks her to take in Olga (Karolina Dafne Porcari), a young Ukrainian woman in search of a better life, before he disappears from Claudia’s forever. However, an unexpected friendship between the two women will push Claudia to overcome her apathy.

Directed by Marina Spada and produced by Francesco Pamphili for Film Kairos, As the Shadow will released by Istituto Luce in Italy on 20 screens on June 22. The second feature film by the director from Milan (after Forza cani, 2002) tells a story of universal solitude, of bodies that move like shadows and leave no mark on a Milan that is greyer and more lifeless than ever.

“Milan represents the backdrop of my vision and is the true protagonist of the film,” Spada said at the press conference. “I purposely stripped it of its symbols, in fact it’s unrecognisable, it could easily be any large metropolis. The result is a globalised vision of the city that can communicate only through the silhouettes of its buildings”.

The film, whose budget was just under €320,000, was screened at numerous festivals and received various prizes, including Best Actress for Kravos al Paris Film Festival. “We are certain,” said producer Pamphili, “that the film’s course so far will contribute to promoting it among audiences”.

(Translated from Italian)