12/08/2024 - Isabella Torre’s debut feature is an atmospheric film about men hunting for treasure, produced by Jonas Carpignano

In the rugged, fog-shrouded mountains of Aspromonte, Italy, an archaeologist and his assistants are seeking an ancient treasure. But their digs release mysterious mythological creatures who will change the lives of the inhabitants of this remote village forever.

This is the synopsis of Basileia [+see also:
film review
film profile], the first feature by Italian director Isabella Torre, which is having its world premiere in the Giornate degli Autori at the Venice Film Festival, taking place from 28 August to 7 September.

In the words of the director herself, “Aspromonte, with its wild, savage landscapes, is the real protagonist of the story I tell. There, the past is always present; it is the keeper of tradition that also metes out fates that are inescapable. In my film, the archaeologist and the activity he brings to the area represent this sudden, violent intrusion that will trigger unimaginable consequences. From the bowels of a wounded and desecrated planet emerge the Nymphs, menacing yet charismatic presences. They are creatures with no inhibitions at all: neither human nor divine; neither alive nor dead. Undefinable, ephemeral and ethereal as the fog on the hillsides, they leave indelible traces on whatever they touch.”

Writer, director, and actress Isabella Torre released her first short film, Ninfe, at the 2018 Venice Film Festival. In 2019, she directed Vernice, a documentary short about the second generation of immigrants in Italy, based on the story of Mojo, a Roman rapper. She returned to Venice in 2021 with her short film Luna piena, selected for the International Critics’ Week. Basileia is her first feature-length film.

The film stars Elliott Crosset Hove (a European Film Award nominee for his work in Godland [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Elliott Crosset Hove
interview: Hlynur Pálmason
film profile]), Angela Fontana (a David di Donatello nominee for Indivisible [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Edoardo de Angelis
film profile]) and Koudous Seihon (an Independent Spirit Award nominee for Mediterranea [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jonas Carpignano
film profile]). The film has been produced by Jonas and Paolo Carpignano for Italy's Stayblack Productions with Rai Cinema, and co-produced by Denmark's Snowglobe and Sweden's Film I Väst. International sales are handled by French company Luxbox.

Check out our exclusive poster below: