Film Programme
Rita
fiction
Italy, 2009, 19'
Director: Antonio Piazza & Fabio Grassadonia
Producer: Massimo Cristaldi
Director of photography: Olaf Hirschberg
Writer: Fabio Grassadonia, Antonio Piazza
Editor: Desideria Rayner
Synopsis: Rita is ten years old and blind since birth. She lives in a seaside neighbourhood of Palermo. Rita is stubborn, curious and feels thwarted by a dictatorial mother. The claustrophobic world of her home is breached by a mysterious presence. It's a boy on the run, wounded, terrified. The meeting between the two of them is enigmatic. Thanks to her mysterious new friend, or perhaps thanks to her imagination and courage, Rita escapes from home and goes to the beach. She learns to swim and experiences a moment of freedom which ends when the encounter vanishes and she finds herself alone in the sea.
Director: Antonio Piazza & Fabio Grassadonia
Antonio Piazza and Fabio Grassadonia are Sicilian filmmakers. They have worked as writers, development consultants and acquisition consultants for major Italian production companies, such as Fandango and Filmauro of Aurelio De Laurentiis. In 2004 they wrote the film Ogni volta che te ne vai, a romantic musical comedy set among the night clubs of the Romagna coast, produced by Fandango. The same partnership between Antonio and Fabio gave life to the short film RITA. It was shot in summer 2009, with a ten years old blind non professional actress in the lead role. RITA, their debut as directors, is one of most successful Italian short films ever (presented so far in more than 60 international film festivals, including Cannes and Rotterdam, and winning tens of awards). RITA was shot in the problematic and fascinating Palermo neighbourhood of Arenella in Sicily where they will shoot their first feature film SALVO soon.