Italian giallo pioneer Dario Argento is the focus of a new biographical documentary by Simone Scafidi. Scafidi, no stranger to profiling influential figures in Italian genre cinema, previously delved into the life of "the Maestro of Splatter", Lucio Fulci, with Fulci for Fake [+lire aussi :
bande-annonce
interview : Simone Scafidi
fiche film]. Scafidi employed Nicola Nocella to play Fulci while framing the documentary within Nocella’s research on the man he was set to portray. In Dario Argento Panico, Argento himself appears on screen, openly sharing insights into his career.

In the Sitges-screened documentary, Scafidi accompanies Argento to a remote hotel where the acclaimed director intends to retreat and write what will be his final film, likely Dark Glasses [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
fiche film], although it's never explicitly named. This act of seclusion is portrayed as a ritual, one that Argento has often turned to during his previous cinematic ventures. Throughout, Argento is presented not just as the revered mastermind behind numerous iconic giallo films, but also as a grounded individual: a soft-spoken and reserved gentleman, and a devoted family man. Yet, intertwined with this private image is his professional persona – a fiercely ambitious filmmaker committed to carving out a niche in a genre that, over time, has become inseparable from his name.

The camera never glimpses Argento at work on his script, but rather sees him positioned before the camera amidst the hotel's labyrinthine corridors. Dario Argento Panico primarily homes in on the filmmaker's early career, charting his ascendancy not just in Italy, but also in the USA. Insights from Argento’s professional circle, including close collaborators such as Vittorio Cecchi Gori, Lamberto Bava, Michele Soavi and Franco Ferrini, pepper the documentary. These voices shed light on behind-the-scenes stories, as well as Argento's beginnings predestined for the cinema, as the son of a film-producer father, Salvatore Argento, and a mother, Elda Luxardo, who photographed the stars.

Scafidi incorporates excerpts from the films under discussion, offering viewers an overview of the standout entries in Argento's oeuvre. This is complemented by archival footage, capturing the helmer in post-production, directing atmospheric sound design or engaging in period interviews. Such material adds another puzzle-like layer to the fragmentary portrait of both the man and his method, including personal revelations of suicidal thoughts. The title Dario Argento Panico is drawn from one of these vintage interviews. In it, Argento clarifies that his objective is not to evoke terror, but rather a sense of panic. This film predominantly turns its gaze towards the zenith of Argento's creative output, spotlighting works such as The Gallery Murders, Deep Red, Suspiria, Inferno and Tenebrae, while discreetly glossing over oeuvres after The Phantom of the Opera that occupy the lower ranks in Argento’s canon.

Argento's personal life is woven into the fabric of the documentary, particularly through the perspectives of his daughters. Fiore Argento, the elder of the two, sheds light on Dario as a father. In contrast, Asia Argento, the younger daughter, offers a dual viewpoint. By 16, she was being directed by him. In previous interviews, Asia has intimated that her early foray into acting was, in part, an attempt to capture her father's attention. She delves deeper than most, touching on the dynamics of her father and her mother, Daria Nicolodi, who herself starred in five of Argento's films between 1975 and 1987. In this documentary, Asia emerges as a pivotal figure, bridging the gap between Argento's private and professional worlds, offering insights that are seldom touched upon in conventional tribute pieces.

Dario Argento Panico addresses filmmaking prowess and family dynamics, with “the Horror Maestro” pondering the duality of his nature – as both a filmmaker who has shaped a genre and as an individual navigating the complexities of family, legacy, art, business and personal battles. The documentary provides a thoughtful retrospective on a filmmaker who committed his life to cinema, acknowledging both his significant contributions and the more contentious facets of his career.

Dario Argento Panico was produced by the UK’s Paguro Film Ltd, while Mediawan Rights handles the international sales.