The documentary film King Marracash has made quite a splash on its cinema release, taking £558,842 on its second day of screenings. Dedicated to rapper Marracash (Fabio Rizzo) and directed by Pippo Mezzapesa, the film opened on Monday 25 May, going straight to number one at the Italian box office with over 22,000 admissions. Originally conceived as a three-day special event, its success has earned it a wider theatrical run from Thursday 29 May.
Pippo Mezzapesa, who co-wrote the screenplay with Chiara Battistini, Shadi Cioffi and Antonella Gaeta, brings the public persona to the screen without losing sight of the man behind the stage name: the film makes room for everyday life, personal relationships, collaborators, moments in the spotlight and moments of vulnerability. Not just the success, but the pauses, the shadows, the inner transformations. Rounding out the portrait are testimonies from figures who have crossed paths with Marracash, from Elodie to Guè, taking in Deleterio, Paola Zukar, Jacopo Pesce, Matteo Mancuso, Marz, Mirko Rizzo, Rame and Massimo Recalcati.
Executive production is by Manuela Calabrò, with an original score by Santi Pulvirenti. Cinematography by Giuseppe Maio CCS and editing by Francesca Addonizio.
Giuseppe Maio CCS told us:
“I don’t believe there is any real distance between a fiction film and a documentary — the difference is simply that in a film you make things happen, whereas in a documentary you wait for them to come to life.
Pippo Mezzapesa was determined to preserve the visual integrity of the story while allowing for some very deliberate creative liberties. It was a journey of roughly a year, shoulder to shoulder with a remarkable artist and with the director. The narrative was a process of conscious growth, shared with the director every step of the way. ».
