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The cast of the film based on the true story of Andrea Spezzacatena, set to release in theatres this fall, meets the jurors amidst the tears of Claudia Pandolfi and the emotions of Carrino, Ciocca and screenwriter Proia. The experiences of the youngsters and the answers to their questions: “This film is important because it shines a light”.
Giffoni breaks barriers. It spins them in a centrifuge that from a clear, decisive red, breaks the shades and colours them with a pink that gives them a thousand and more hues. These are the stories of the #giffoners compared with that of Andrea Spezzacatena, intertwined with the resilience of mom Teresa Manes, the tears and emotions of Claudia Pandolfi, Samuele Carrino, Sara Ciocca and a screenwriter with a heart that touches many others, Roberto Proia. At #Giffoni54, the whirlwind of emotions enters a washing machine that makes Claudio Gubitosi, the creator and founder, exclaim “This is Giffoni”, as the wall of silence and indifference breaks down in the Sala Truffaut during the presentation of “Il ragazzo dai pantaloni rosa”, set to release this fall, which has already filled with anticipation and success from a thousand emotions. Based on a true story, that of Andrea (who took his own life in November 2012 after being a long-time victim of bullying and cyberbullying), that intertwines with millions of other stories that spill over into the embrace of a large family that is the #GiffoniFilmFestival. An intense, rich and loaded afternoon that even moved actress Claudia Pandolfi. It is not (only) fiction: it is reality meeting truth, raw and transparent, like the experiences of the youngsters who wanted to shout it into a microphone, finding the courage to empathize, to tell, to take refuge for a few minutes in a corner made of listening, questions, requests and advice. In the Sala Truffaut, the attention was maximum, as it was in the conference room during the press meeting. Clear messages – those of Teresa Manes, Andrea’s mother who wanted to transform this life beyond death – were helpful and joined the immense and inexplicable strength of a woman who found in the eyes of another woman (Claudia Pandolfi) the true and lucid interpretation of a mother’s infinite love. “Life leads us to make choices. I had to choose whether to die as well and turn my bed into a den of pain or take it and make something good out of it. I want to tell you that you need to break the wall of silence – Teresa said in the hall – be aware that words can hurt, become stones. But with stones, you can also build. You young people – she added finally – should be listened to more, and we adults should question our ability to listen. From the heart, you reach the head. What this film will do will be something great, alone you reach a certain point, together you go far”. Two very young people with a great responsibility like Sara Ciocca and Samuele Carrino (the protagonist) answered questions but also explained what they felt while filming the scenes of this movie, which will be distributed by Eagle Pictures in the fall. Giorgia, a #giffoner who courageously chose to be moved and move others after just seeing the trailer of the film, breaking ranks, received a tight and heartfelt embrace from Claudia Pandolfi: “If there is only one person here who has ever thought of doing such a thing, know that talking helps, but even if you have no one to talk to, talking to yourself can help – said the girl with a voice broken by emotion – it’s a film that regardless of the acting and technicalities, sends a message that even if poorly acted, would still be wonderful. It tells a forgotten story that instead should never have the right to be forgotten”. Strength that calls for more strength, more courage: “If this can help – said Pandolfi – if even a simple trailer can give you the ability to get up from a chair and talk to no one but everyone, you are a force. Something reached you deeply, and it’s so strong that it made you show something important”. “This is the first time I’ve come to Giffoni to talk about such a serious topic that I care about – emphasized the screenwriter – what we want to do with this film is talk about a boy who 12 years ago thought he had no other choice. He took on more responsibilities than he could bear and without telling anyone, kept enduring bullying until he couldn’t take it anymore, thinking the only way out was that. This film wants to say first of all that it is not so, talk to unaware bullies, to teachers, to parents, to all of us and to all those who witness acts of bullying and remain silent, not intervening and to the real killer we have: silence. The choice Andrea’s parents had was to close themselves in their pain or make sure this didn’t happen in vain. And so, the mother decided to write a book and to go talk to school children all over Italy. The film also tells us: get through and overcome these difficult years. Unfortunately, or fortunately, you have a beautiful and terrible age at the same time, made of ups and downs. Andrea from beyond tells us: “You should see my bullies now”. Hold on, stand tall, be aware of yourselves but know that it won’t be like this forever.” Music is a fundamental element, as is the moving soundtrack sung by Arisa, as Sara Ciocca knows well, who finally tells the #giffoners: “Music is my cure and my vital place. Play an instrument if you can and want, you will achieve a happiness that only a few things can give you”. In the end, hands from the seats – despite the distance – seem to touch. There are those who offer their story and make sure that their companions drink from it: like fresh water in the desert, some offer support, experience, and even “free listening”. Because distance, this afternoon, was really just an illusion. While emotions were coloured pink. Like the pants mom Teresa wore to be at Giffoni: they will almost certainly mean that Andrea is there. And he was surely present in the silences broken by the very youngsters who “change the world” like #Giffoni.