/ Director
Massimo Andrei
/ Cast
Maria Pia Calzone, Valerio Foglia Manzillo, Enzo Moscato, Vladimir Luxuria, Franco Javarone, Tina Femiano,Sara Carbone, Shanti Duclercq, Fabio Brescia, Teresa Del Vecchio, Gino Curcione, Erma Castriotta, Franco Ruggiero, Aldo De Martino, Francesco Procopio, Maria del Monte and with Luca Ward.
/ Producer
Umberto Massa
/ Length
93 mins.
/ Year
2005
/ Sponsor
San Diego Italian Film Festival
/ Co-Promoters
Date :: Saturday, November 14
Time :: 7:00 pm
Location :: The Birch North Park Theatre
Cost :: $8.00 donation suggested
Language :: Italian with English subtitles
Tickets :: On location starting 6:00PM
Mater Natura
Winner, among other prizes, of the prestigious audience award at the Settimana della critica of the 2005 Venice Film Festival - the only Italian contender in this category - Mater natura, the first feature film by director Massimo Andrei, is an exuberant explosion of color, character and charisma à la Almodovar and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, set in contemporary Naples. Incorporating and blending a variety of genres typical of Neapolitan theatrical and cinematic traditions, from comedy to popular melodrama, tragedy, musicarelli, and urban realism, the film is also an unapologetically excessive and flamboyant transgender interpretation of the local sceneggiata.
The film follows the trials and triumphs of a group of people from the city’s trans community: transsexuals, transvestites, prostitutes, actors, dancers, and femminielli, these latter accepted and integrated figures of alterity in the Neapolitan human landscape and brought on the screen with superb ability by veteran performer Enzo Moscato. In particular, the film centers on the life of Desiderio, a male to female transsexual played by Maria Pia Calzone, in love with Andrea, the beautiful and muscular owner of a car wash, played by Valerio Foglia Manzillo, previously seen in Mat- In addition to its regular annual film festival, SDIFF also brings to its audiences monthly film screenings organized into thematic mini-series showcasing Italian movies of today or masterpieces of the past. The first mini-series of this year will include films such as the acclaimed Mater natura, which will be presented at the North Park Birch Theatre on November 14. teo Garrone’s breakthrough film The Embalmer. Although Andrea reciprocates Desiderio’s feelings, he chooses a more conformist route by marrying a classic and unaware good girl, thus breaking Desiderio’s heart until an unexpected turn of events will force her to make decisions that will change her life.
In interviews director Andrei defined Mater natura not a film about transsexuals but one about love and diversity from the point of view of a marginalized community. If anything his is a film about transformation of body, mind, city, and social relations. It is a film about the possibility of overcoming prejudice and drawing on the resources offered by the local environment. Mater natura is ultimately the name of the agriturismo, or better, “agrifuturismo,” a utopian organic farm/psychological help center that some members of this community will establish at the foot of Vesuvio to support men in crisis. Along with a colorful cast of characters that also includes the former transgender member of Italian Parliament Vladimir Luxuria, the film offers luminous musical numbers setting the stage for a world where everything is possible.
BRANDING + MARKETING: MIRIELLO GRAFICO // SITE DESIGN + DEVELOPMENT: ALONSO CREATIVE
Login
Register