The Turin Film Festival once again welcomes a significant presence of cinematographers from the Collettivo Chiaroscuro, involved in works that differ widely in tone, genre and perspective. The following notes present, in no particular order, the films for which the associated DoPs have signed the cinematography.
MOTHERS
Section: International Documentaries
Director: Alice Tomassini
Cinematography: Christian Rom (Cambodia), Alberto Marchioni CCS, Francesca Zonars CCS (Italy)
Written by Vincenzo Scuccimarra and Alice Tomassini, the film is produced by Carlo Degli Esposti, Marco Grifoni and Nicola Serra, edited by Julien Panzarasa, with an original score by Andrea Guerra.
Alice Tomassini weaves together three stories linked to surrogacy between Cambodia and Italy, tracing the consequences of the sudden criminalisation of the practice in the Asian country and the impact of restrictive regulations on the lives of the Italian families involved. The cinematography by Alberto Marchioni and Francesca Zonars accompanies the narrative with sensitivity, bringing together testimony, vulnerability and social responsibility. The film follows 32 Cambodian women who were arrested and forced to raise the children they had carried for others, while in Italy new legislation places intended parents under attack. Among them is Lia, the daughter of two fathers, who asserts her right to exist.
Francesca Zonars: «‘When Alice called me, she said: “We have to tell the story of several women, but we cannot show their faces – it could put them at risk.” From there, the challenge was to frame without revealing, to light while protecting, and to find an image that would overturn the point of view and the stance: from a gaze that stands above, judges and condemns, to one that stands beside them and listens ».
Alberto Marchiori: «‘The choice Alice and I made was to step gently into Lia’s life and that of her family, allowing the handheld camera to follow the natural rhythm of her gestures and her daily routine. Working solely with natural light and a minimal technical set-up enabled us to remain light and fully present. In this way, filming time became shared time, fostering a direct and authentic relationship.’ ».
SEPARAZIONI
Section: International Fiction
Director: Stefano Chiantini
Cinematography: Paolo Carnera CCS
Directed and written by Stefano Chiantini, the film features cinematography by Paolo Carnera CCS, editing by Luca Benedetti, production design by Elisabetta Zanin, costumes by Marta Passarini and an original score by Piernicola Di Muro. The principal cast includes Barbora Bobulova, Adriano Giannini, Vanessa Compagnucci, Sergio Albelli, Giordano Fochetti and Ludovica Rubino. The film is produced by Andrea Petrozzi, Niccolò Stazzi, Claudio Montefusco and Riccardo Marchegiani for World Video Production, in collaboration with Rai Cinema and Bling Flamingo, with support from the Ministry of Culture, the Lazio Region and the Abruzzo Region.
Mara (Barbora Bobulová) and Pietro (Adriano Giannini) live with their two children, Laura and Agostino, forming an apparently exemplary family. This balance shatters when Laura is involved in a mountain accident. From that moment, the story focuses on the pain that seeps into family bonds, the transformation of relationships and the fragility that emerges from the shock.
Paolo Carnera told us: ‘Separazioni is the story of a bereavement and of its unfolding. The power and beauty of nature and of the landscape are together the key to coming to terms with this loss. And black and white was the only, indispensable, way to convey the essence of an impossible feeling and of a fierce and wondrous nature. ».
AVEMMARIA
Section: Zibaldone
Director: Fortunato Cerlino
Cinematography: Corrado Serri CCS
Directed and written by Fortunato Cerlino, who adapts his novel Se vuoi vivere felice for the screen, the film features cinematography by Corrado Serri, editing by Diego Liguori, production design by Luca Servino, costumes by Paola Bonucci and an original score by Mariano Bellopede. The principal cast includes Salvatore Esposito, Marianna Fontana, Mario Di Leva, Carmine Borrino, Gennaro Di Colandrea, Franca Abategiovanni, Giulia Coppini, Cecilia Bertozzi, Giovanni Petrone, Francesco Verde, Francesca Colapietro, Armando Manfregola and Gabriele Di Gennaro. The film is produced by Ventottodieci Produzioni, Moving Milano, Red Private, Europictures and Rai Cinema, with support from the Ministry of Culture and the Film Commission Regione Campania. Italian distribution is handled by Europictures.
Felice lives in a working-class district on the outskirts of Naples, marked by poverty, violence and limited prospects. A teacher, Giulia, recognises his talent and encourages him to believe in himself; the imprint of Neil Armstrong’s boot on a schoolbook sparks his imagination: he, too, might one day ‘leave’ Pianura, but to do so he must face pain, separation and a reality that seems to crush him.
Corrado Serri ci ha raccontato: «The film moves across three registers: realism, memory and fantasy. These registers do not alternate with clear transitions; rather, they overlap, interlock and syncopate with one another. The film is not merely an adult man’s flashback to his childhood, nor simply a tale of reality transfigured through the eyes of a child. For this reason, the visual language I conceived with Fortunato Cerlino is, in a sense, devoid of the coherence we usually strive to give our films: the camera’s viewpoints and movements, the choice of lenses, and the nature and direction of the light follow different streams of consciousness that reconcile only at the end. Avemmaria is a film that asks the viewer not to settle too comfortably; indeed, as in one of the final scenes, it pins them to the wall and forces them to confront choices that belong to all of us».
LAGHAT
Section: Zibaldone
Director: Michele Zampino
Cinematography: Stefano Paradiso CCS
Directed by Michael Zampino, who co-writes the screenplay with Heidrun Schleef, adapting Enrico Querci’s novel Laghat – Il cavallo normalmente diverso, the film features cinematography by Stefano Paradiso, production design by Cinzia Lo Fazio, costumes by Francesca Leondeff and an original score by Luigi Seviroli. The principal cast includes Lorenzo Guidi, Carlotta Antonelli, Hippolyte Girardot and Edoardo Pesce. The film is produced by Sandro Frezza for Alba Produzioni, in collaboration with Videa and AD Productions, as an Italian–French co-production. Presented in a colour version, the film was completed in 2025.
Loosely inspired by Querci’s novel, the film tells the story of a ‘different’ horse that was never meant to race, and of a boy who had stopped believing in dreams: together, they set out on a journey to show that what appears to be a limitation can become a source of strength.
Stefano Paradiso told us: ‘We sought to make the very most of a modest budget while remaining fully faithful to the story. From the outset, it was decided to work with an actor capable of riding a thoroughbred for real, filming him live without resorting to stand-ins.
Alongside the more realist dimension, we chose to shoot anamorphically to lend the story a slightly more epic touch — not a minor decision. Within this same visual universe, I also opted to adopt the so-called green protocol: LED lights only and a small generator for the more demanding night scenes. The long period of preparation was essential in shaping the film’s visual identity. How to film the horses running alongside the actor? How to blend real horse races and real spectators with staged scenes? We devoted days and days to brainstorming and storyboarding, with the invaluable support of Horse Master Jaqueline Freda. The cinematography is structured in two distinct parts: the protagonist’s life outside the races and his life within the racing world, while maintaining a continuity that allowed us to remain within the same film. A complex project and a wonderful experience. Great attention, both during shooting and in post-production, was devoted to creating the horse’s blue eyes. Laghat’s real medical condition, which gives him his distinctive pale-blue eyes, became a powerful visual symbol of his uniqueness. ».
ISOLA
Sezione: Zibaldone
Regia: Nora Jaenicke
Direzione della fotografia: Valentina Caniglia ASC, CCS
Directed and written by Nora Jaenicke, the film features cinematography by Valentina Caniglia, production design by Paolo Ferruzzi, costumes by Katarzyna Lewinska and an original score by Jules Matton. The principal cast includes Fanny Ardant, Joanna Kulig and Marco Rossetti. The film is produced by Manish Mundra and Ariens Damsi for Drishyam Films and Eliofilm, in an Indian–Italian co-production. International sales are handled by Minerva Pictures Group and TVCO. The film is dated 2025.
The story centres on Joanna (Joanna Kulig), a 40-year-old woman trapped in a marriage to a wealthy and possessive man. Her encounter with Ada (Fanny Ardant), the enigmatic carer of her husband, sets off a journey of emancipation and self-discovery that leads Joanna to confront her deepest desires and fears.
Valentina Caniglia told us: ‘With the director, we wanted to create the impression that it was never entirely clear whether the story was set in the present or in the recent past. Every choice – from colours to costumes, from furnishings to locations – was oriented in this direction. We chose settings that evoke the past without explicitly indicating a precise period, deliberately leaving the timeframe ambiguous. I sought to convey this sensation through the light as well: I used halogen sources coming in through the windows, but with a very soft, refined treatment, with gentle, delicate light cuts. It was essential to maintain a balance between the colour temperatures of the interiors and those of the exteriors, in order to create a visual harmony that reflected this temporal suspension. ».
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