08/08/2023 - This collective film made under the artistic and pedagogical supervision of Leonardo Di Costanzo presents itself as a pleasing city symphony paying tribute to the Italian island

In 2022, Procida was crowned Italian Capital of Culture. For the occasion, twelve youngsters met on the island during the Cinema del Reale Workshop to make the feature-length collective movie Procida [+see also:
trailer
film profile] under the artistic and pedagogical supervision of Leonardo Di Costanzo. Some of them, as made clear by the film’s introductory captions, weren’t previously familiar with the island and had no filmmaking experience to speak of. Nevertheless, we can confirm that the film, which was presented in a world premiere out of competition at this year’s Locarno Film Festival, is, on the whole, a pleasing city symphony with a distinctly contemporary flavour.

A variety of archive images serve as connecting threads between one tale and the next in this feature film. We learn about several more or less vital moments in the lives of a select number of island inhabitants and visitors. More fascinating, however, are the sequences stripped of dialogue, where the camera simply observes scraps of life in Procida and effectively conveys the magical and partly uncontaminated atmosphere which still characterises this community today.

The direct testimonies given by the film’s interviewees sometimes break the rhythm of the story and lift us out of the occasionally “otherworldly” dimension constructed over the course of the film. That said, one of the most undeniably interesting and moving testimonies comes from an elderly English woman whose dearly departed husband was native to Procida. By way of her anecdotes, photographs and a romantic song by Peppino Di Capri, we get a feel for how her life has been marked by the island and how this helps her to keep the memory of her late partner alive and kicking. The tales told by an old, retired sailor about the lengthy voyages he embarked upon in his youth also transport us to another time, where work, emotions and relationships between couples were undoubtedly very different to how they play out today.

Generally speaking, the film’s sound editing, sound design and score are evocative and well-put-together, combining to create a nigh-on ethereal and enthralling atmosphere for the audience.

The twelve authors offer up a rich slice of Procida life, which speaks to various generations and entertains through its numerous stories bursting with lightheartedness and nostalgia. Even the blend of scenes depicting “high-level” everyday life (a moment of collective prayer in church or a procession, for example) and “low-level” everyday life (a diving contest or a game of tug of war on the seashore) proves an effective and well-balanced choice.

The picture postcard effect is, thankfully, avoided at all costs in the movie, but that’s not to say the film shies away from the natural splendour of Procida; it just doesn’t linger on this fact, ultimately ensuring that human portraits prevail over the beauty of the surrounds.

Procida was produced by Parallelo 41 Produzioni and Procida Italian Capital of Culture 2022.

(Translated from Italian)