Light Dim

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Trailer

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Light Dim (Mezza sala)

original title:

Mezza sala

directed by:

cast:

Barbato De Stefano, Bibiana Carusi, Luciano Andreutti

cinematography:

editing:

costume design:

Concetta Assennato

music:

Giuseppe Devastato

country:

Italy

year:

2016

film run:

12'

format:

colour

status:

Ready (10/09/2016)

festivals & awards:

  • Festival Corto Corrente 2016: Competition
  • Los Angeles CineFest 2016: Competition
  • Premio David di Donatello 2017: Competition
  • Cuneo Film Festival 2016: Competition
  • 12 Months Film Festival 2016-2017: Competition - Audience Award
  • Puerto Madero International Film Festival 2016: Finalist
  • Capodarco l'Altro festival 2017: Finalist
  • Festival de Cine Tolima Ve y se Ve 2017: Finalist
  • Ekurhuleni International Film Festival 2017: Finalist

An art landfill among children who represent our future. Light Dim, theatrical technical term [the typical order that the director gives to the electrician of the theatre just before the "Dark in the Theatre" which is before the curtain opening], intends to focus on the cuts done on the culture, harbingers of dramatic consequences for theater companies, touring companies, abandoned theaters and cinema, which suddenly find themselves without the necessary funds to continue its cultural mission. A wonderful land told in allegorical key, acted and sang in 5 languages, wants to be a song of rebirth and not a requiem for the world of culture. The symbolism of the old scores, worn shoes of dancers, theater and film outfits used by memorable performers of the international culture, rusty instruments and numerous artistic details, works painted in a deconsecrated church first used as a theater and later abandoned, all those elements are the frame of Light Dim. The theatrical art is placed in a landfill, the frescoes are covered by plaster of post-modernity, the destruction of culture shown in all its rawness, even death hovers like invisible but with a menacing stay. Until, however, heart, talent and art will remain alive, will remain on the hope that "A wonderful land" will cease to be an allegory and our land return to being a truly a wonderful one.

DIRECTOR'S NOTES:
The short film is developed in one breath where alternate sounds and images through which I wanted to reconstruct the horror of what we young artists live and the drama that our children are destined to live. Art belongs to everyone and must be accessible to everyone.
I wanted to avail myself of the cinematographic language to give light to this huge negligence in our national community because I believe that the only truly effective way to oppose a lightness that dries up the thought and the public spirit of man is exactly to show through sounds and moving images dynamism the synesthetic experience of human mediocrity.