On ‘Italian Night’ of the 2nd annual Aruba International Film Festival, actor Alessandro Calza from the film CIAO (2008) answered questions on the red carpet.
ME: With the name ‘Ciao’ are you saying ‘hello’ or ‘goodbye’?
ALE: Actually, ‘Ciao’ means ‘slave’ in Italian and it’s an old way of saying, ‘I serve you’ or ‘I am your slave’. It’s also an Italian way of saying ‘hello’ and/or ‘goodbye’. So, you can say it when you’re meeting somebody or leaving somebody.
ME: Is ‘CIAO’ a drama film?
ALE: Yes
ME: Can you tell us how hard it is to make a drama in Italy today when apparently, from what Italians tell me, drama doesn’t sell in Italy, only comedy?
ALE: Yes, that’s why I decided to make the film in the States, why I decided to make an American movie and I didn’t want to make an Italian movie. It was very complicated because it took many years to find the right environment for the project. I had to find the right actor, find the right script. Otherwise, I could not make it.
ME: I can’t wait to see it. I’ll watch it tomorrow afternoon.
ALE: Yeah, I hope you like it.
ME: Okay, I will see you inside.
And then Rollo Ross (Getty) interviewed Ale and here is what was said:
ROLLO: So, how do you feel to be in Aruba with your Italian/American film?
ALE: It’s amazing. I mean, it’s kind of stunning to come from Europe. It’s like a time warp here. I mean it’s incredible. People are very friendly. It’s great weather. This is my second day but I wish I would be staying here for longer. Now I regret that I wont stay longer because I like it here. I really appreciate the kind of attitude people have towards the festival. There are so many people- the photographers, the filmmakers, and even the general public. It’s fantastic how people are excited about this thing. It’s almost like Venezia 40 years ago. I can’t believe how many people are at such a thing, which we in Europe lost, I think.
ROLLO: As far as talent here in Aruba, what do you think?
ALE: I have been doing this for over 20 years. Eventually, you would notice what you would have exchanged or what you would have done differently. So, instead of course I’m very excited we were invited here. But we sort of nailed some ideas of people creating a connection in a digital way, which very much resembles what happened what happened in 18th or 19th century when actually people didn’t talk face to face… They wrote each other. That’s very interesting and that’s what we wanted to say, these new ways of getting in contact and getting in touch with each other.
ROLLO: Now, today’s Italian night tonight.
ALE: We are all Italians and we are all wearing black.
ROLLO: Yes, exactly. So, how do you think the Arubans are gonna’ feel about Italian cinema here?
ALE: I think there is a Latin component here so I think Italians feel welcome here and so I think we do connect to the people here. So, people here understand Italian culture here much more than the American culture. So, I think they’re gonna’ like it. Mine is more of an American movie but I think they’re gonna’ like the movie anyway.
ROLLO: Okay, thank you. Well, good luck and we’ll see you inside.
RC Interview transcribed by Vanessa McMahon
photos of actor Alessandro Calza by Vanessa McMahon