Can a work of art become so controversial that it polarizes opinions, drawing sympathy and hostility alike, to the point of dividing an entire community and pushing someone to set it on fire?
In the Skin of the Dragon is an exploration of the complex relationship between Man, Art, and Nature. It’s also an investigation of a dragon above all suspicion a crime-comedy documentary with the scent of wood, seasoned with a touch of country style.
August 22, 2023. It all begins with the arson of the wooden sculpture Drago Vaia, created by artist Marco Martalar on the Lavarone plateau, in Trentino.
The film delves into the intricacies of the territory and its small mountain community, shaken by the criminal act, in search of clues, accountability, and culprits. Perhaps it was precisely the unexpected success of that sculpture born as a response to the devastating Vaia Storm that lies at the root of everything.
As the investigation unfolds through testimonies and evidence, a wooden egg suddenly appears on the charred remains of the sculpture.
The artist is back at work because as we know, dragons don’t die in fire. If anything, they are reborn: bigger, and angrier than before.

Director’s note

I met Marco a few years ago and was immediately intrigued by his ability to recover and shape wood, breathing new life into it to create beauty always guided by a vision of rebirth.
Throughout my professional journey, I’ve consistently explored themes related to art in all its forms and colors. After working on documentaries about Arte Sella and the MART museum, I felt I had found another story rooted in the local territory worth discovering and telling this time, one centered on sculpture and fine craftsmanship. Marco’s story was fascinating not only from an artistic standpoint, but also because of the social phenomenon his work has generated.
Thousands of tourists came to Trentino to admire his Drago Vaia a curious and controversial phenomenon. There was talk of “selfie tourism,” of artworks created for their own sake, and of unexpected notoriety. But how did Marco and his small town react to all this sudden success?
I’ve always loved telling stories from my region stories that capture its unique identity, its small but profound community experiences. These are tales that may seem suspended from the world, yet they resonate more broadly, touching on universal themes.
Then, the Drago Vaia was set on fire. And Marco’s story took a dramatic turn...
From this came In the Skin of the Dragon a story that intertwines my passion for creative and artistic processes with the tale of Drago Vaia Regeneration, born from the ashes of the original sculpture. At the same time, I embraced the challenge of telling this story through a slightly grotesque tone: an investigation into arson, into the community and its territory at once silent and loud featuring previously unseen characters, contradictions, truths, and complexities. Ultimately, this is also a story of death and rebirth, of nature, and of our individual and collective responsibilities toward it.