When it comes to making a homage to 100 years of cinema, veteran filmmaker Marco Ferreri has exemplary qualifications. Having made films for nearly 40 years - his debut was 1958's El pisito, co-directing with Isidoro Martinez Ferry - Ferreri's credits include 1969's Dillinger e'morto starring Anita Pallenberg, 1972's La cagna and 1974's Non toccare la donna bianca, both with Marcello Mastroianni and Catherine Deneuve, and 1976's L'ultima donna and Ciao maschio, with Gérard Depardieu.
His latest film Silver Nitrate (Nitrato d'argento) is, according to co-producer Tilde Corsi of Audifilm, about "cinema as cinema and how it has affected our century and society". Described by Corsi as "the youngest old director in Italy", Ferreri has combined footage shot in Budapest and Italy with archive material ranging from silver-screen classics such as Feyder's The Kiss, starring Greta Garbo, to more modern works like Zhang Yimou's Raise The Red Lantern.
Financed mainly by Paris-based Salomé, with a total 30% from Audifilm and radio/television web RAI in Italy and ASP in Bulgaria, the US$3.5 million docu-drama is, says Corsi, "a unique piece, informed by a poetic modern logic. It looks at the way cinema has influenced people, particularly poor people," she continues, "from how people learn languages through watching films, to how they dress, live and even kiss." In a myriad of different languages (with Italian subtitles), and 'set' in just about any country where a film has been shown, it is also a truly international production.
The buzz was that Silver Nitrate would premiere at Cannes back in May, but post-production niceties and Ferreri's undoubted ambition delayed the project's finishing date until mid-August. Having finally emerged from the cutting room, Silver Nitrate makes its world premiere at Venice.
Adam Zunker
Prod co: Salomé sa, Audifilm Srl, ASP
Prod: Maurice Bernart, Tilde Corsi
Dir: Marco Ferreri
Scr: Marco Ferreri, Gianni Romoli, David Maria Putorti
Ph: Yorgos Arvanitis
Cos: Claire Fraissé
Ed: Dominique B Martin
Cast: Iaia Forte, Lucianna De Falco, Sabrina La Leggia
Running time: 88 mins
International sales: Sacis
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