Garrone bewitched by reality

by Camillo De Marco

20/04/2012 - Matteo Garrone returns to Cannes in competition with Reality, following the Jury’s Grand Prix in 2008 for Gomorra [trailer, film focus] and the screening of The Embalmer in 2002 during the Directors’ Fortnight.

The Roman director has made a film inspired on the world of reality TV, with two unknown actors in the lead roles (Aniello Arena and Loredana Simioli), supported by Claudia Gerini. Reality [trailer, film focus] is the story of Luciano, a Neapolitan fishmonger who, in order to supplement his meager earnings gets by through small-time swindles together with his wife Maria. Thanks to his natural likeability, Luciano doesn’t miss any opportunity to show off in front of his clients and numerous relatives. One day, encouraged by his family, he takes part in the audition for “Big Brother”. From that moment on his understanding of reality will never be the same again.

Co-produced by Archimede, the director’s company, Fandango, Rai Cinema, Le Pacte with Garance Capital, the film was written by the director together with Ugo Chiti, Massimo Gaudioso and Maurizio Braucci, with photography by Marco Onorato, editing by Marco Spoletini, stage set by Paolo Bonfini and music by Alexandre Desplat.

Out of competition are Io e te [trailer] by Oscar-winning Bernardo Bertolucci (see the article), Golden Palm for lifetime achievement at the latest Cannes Film Festival, while Dracula 3D by master of horror Dario Argento, will be one of the Midnight Screenings. The cast includes Thomas Kretschmann, Rutger Hauer, Miriam Giovanelli and the director’s daughter, Asia Argento.

(Translated from Italian)