The raw and ruthless reality of crime that affects those who cross the Mediterranean to save themselves and the controversial issue of reception, in a film that speaks of women, prejudice, guilt and the possibility of redemption. Many and interconnected are the themes of «Madame Luna» by Daniel Espinosaproposed to the public of Taormina Film Festival in the «Focus Mediterraneo» section, and presented to the press yesterday (it will be in cinemas from today with Europictures).
A co-production between Sweden and Italy, filmed between Lamezia Terme, Agrigento and Porto Empedocle with the support of the Film Commissions of Calabria and Sicily, it began as a documentary and then became a feature film written by the director with Maurizio Braucci (screenwriter of “Gomorra” and “Martin Eden”) and Suah Arraf.
A film that talks about the experience inside a reception centerand develops progressively from the outside to the inside, from the events of a dramatic reality, of violence and abuse, to the inner experiences of the characters, posing substantial questions on the possibility of moral redemption and recovery of personal dignity.
The story is that of Almaz alias Madame Luna (the newcomer Meninet Abraha Teferi, a Catanian of Eritrean origins), a ruthless human trafficker, forced to flee Libya together with the many migrants who undertake the journey of hope towards Italy. Arriving at a reception center in Lamezia Terme, she will begin to collaborate with a criminal organization that speculates on the reception system.
“It’s a subjective work, which concerns the character of Madame Luna – said the director – but it also speaks about us. I come from humble origins and one of the reasons that pushed me to make films was the possibility of telling stories that are usually not told, and revealing more hidden aspects of our society. This film goes beyond the violence and secrets that envelop the world in which Madame Luna is entangled”.
For Espinosa, a return to the auteur cinema of his early works, after mainstream films like “Life” and “Morbius”. “I returned to the cinema of my roots, to the reason why I started making films, and since all films have particular needs, in this case finding the lead actress was an almost impossible task. I wanted to tell a story that was true to reality and the lead actress would have to speak at least six different languages, including Italian, French and Arabic, be Eritrean and be 25 years old. It was an almost impossible challenge, a real suicide mission; but, after six months of casting, when I was giving up, Meninet showed up in Bologna…”
The thematic comparison with “Io, Capitano” by Matteo Garrone is inevitable: “Matteo is one of my idols. We shot at the same time. In his film he makes the characters regain respect and humanity and for this reason he has my utmost appreciation. Mine is about the fight for the conquest of dignity. What else would be really worth telling?”
The cast also includes Hilyam Weldemichael, Claudia Potenza, Emanuele Vicorito and Luca Massaro from Messina. And, in addition, the Palermitans Paride Cicirello, Massimo Pupella, Aurora Peres and Claudia Perna. Produced for Italy by Momento Film, «Madame Luna» will be shown tomorrow at the Cinema Eplanet Ariston in Catania in the presence of Meninet Abraha Teferi.
