The relationship between the human and animal world as a cultural and aggregative phenomenon at the center of “Furrylicious” by Elisa Pontillo (“Solinas Documentary Award for Cinema 2024”), born and developed thanks to the “Man and the Beast” project, conceived by Antonietta De Lillo and produced by Marechiaro Film.
A man with the appearance of a black fox is the protagonist, who has been wandering around the streets of Messina in recent daystouching places of usual life, such as supermarkets, bars, recreational centers (the bowling alley), contexts dedicated to education (the University Veterinary Faculty), comic shops, to finally arrive at the Passeggiata aare, the Villa Mazzini and, last Sunday, in Piazza Duomo.
The extravagant animal-man is not a mask or cosplayer in the classic sense of the term, but a concrete testimony of the “furry fandom”, a subculture born in America in the 80s and adopted by people of different ages, cultures, religions and sexual orientations, united by dressing up as anthropomorphic animals, to send messages of aggregation and the breaking down of barriers and prejudices .
«As a “nerd” who attends comic conventions and festivals, I already knew the “furry fandom” – explains the director from Caserta –, so I used the opportunity of the contest to tell this story, convinced that the most original way to deal with the theme of relationship between man and animal was to talk about those who have embraced this culture”.
“Furrylicious” features one of the first Italian “furries”, Massimo Cicciò, alias RedFoxy Darrest, the “nickname” with which he is also present on social media. A 48-year-old IT technician, wearing a black fox costume with wings (“I love the ambiguity and versatility of it,” he says), he is the founder of the “South Furry Party” group, which brings together “furries” from all over the South Italy. A true Messinese, he is followed by the camera in places in the city dear to him, starting from his home in the Annunziata district, and in historic streets such as La Farina, I Settembre, Tommaso Cannizzaro and via Corbino.
«I decided to track him down because he experienced several generations of “furry fandom” from the point of view of a Southern person – says Pontillo – and as a Southern woman I realize how difficult it can be to experience this culture and talk about it».
A subculture experienced intensely by those who are part of it. «For some, “furry” is a representation of themselves – underlines Cicciò –. There are those who live thinking that they behave like animals in certain respects, those who are convinced that their soul has the shape of that given animal, or who simply conceive of “furry” as a costume to express something. But they all have one common element: the shape of the mask.
The “furrsuit” (the “furry” costume) often helps to open up to others, because it is a way of not showing oneself while remaining oneself, as well as representing an extremely inclusive world, where class, sexuality or skin color do not matter . You are always welcome.”
Important meanings also underlined by the promoter of the contest Antonietta De Lillo: «Through Massimo’s story we tell how close we are to animals, and this makes us reflect on the senselessness of mistreating them. Furthermore, the protagonist’s story asks us many questions about our identity and the desire to take on a new one.”
The filming was carried out with the coordination of the producer Gigi Spedale and the support of the documentary maker Mariafrancesca Monsùwinner of the Messina Film Festival 2023 with the short “Con-Divise”. The director of photography supports the director Antonio “Morgan” Maugeri with the actor Davide Colnaghihere as an assistant operator.
Already a producer for the city of “Don Quixote” by Fabio Segatori – of which the prologue and epilogue were filmed in Messina at the end of December 2024, with filming enthusiastically supported by the Municipal Administration – Spedale defines the City of the Strait as an ideal set, increasingly open to the world of cinema: “Filming in Messina is exhilarating not only for the natural and historical beauty, the typical atmospheres, but for the welcome of the inhabitants and the participation of private individuals. Managers of commercial, recreational and restaurant businesses agreed to organize themselves to welcome the crew with just a few hours’ notice; a greater spirit of collaboration than in any other part of Italy”.
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