On the shores of Lake Como, in the town of Corenno Plinio, Franco Citterio, a master carver and puppeteer, chooses a piece of wood smoothed by the water. In his eyes that rough fragment already contains a presence, a possible story. Franco is heir to a centuries-old tradition: that of the Compagnia Carlo Colla & Figli, the most ancient marionette company in the world, guardians of an art that spans over two centuries of Italian history. From the artisanal heart of Brianza to the theatres of Milan, the film documents the creative process that transforms matter into figure, and figure into emotion. In the workshops of the Atelier Colla, amidst the painted stage sets, hand-sewn costumes and hanging marionettes, an ancient ritual takes place: giving a soul to the inanimate. Franco works alongside Maria Grazia, Cecilia, Giovanni and the other members of the company, allbound by a shared history and knowledge passed down over time.

Director's Statement

I came across the Compagnia Colla for the first time more than twenty years ago. It was then that I knew I wanted to tell the story of this ancient and fascinating art, exploring the invisible relationship between the puppet and the puppeteer: a bond that is both physical and spiritual, where movement becomes the expression of the soul.