Le bambine, the debut feature by sisters Valentina and Nicole Bertani, is now in cinemas, distributed by Adler Entertainment. The film had its world premiere in the International Competition at the Locarno Film Festival and was subsequently selected for numerous international festivals, including the International Film Festival of India, the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, Festival do Rio and Crossing Europe Filmfestival Linz. Director of photography Marco Bassano CCS.
Set in the 1990s, the film follows Linda, an eight-year-old girl caught between the overbearing presence of her very wealthy grandmother and the unpredictable nature of her mother — a woman as charming as she is hard to read. Her encounter with two girls her own age, sisters Azzurra and Marta, marks the start of a journey of discovery — of the world, and of herself — as she navigates the delicate transition from childhood to a deeper awareness of family and emotional relationships.
Starring Mia Ferricelli, Petra Scheggia and Agnese Scazza, alongside Clara Tramontano, Milutin Dapcevic, Jessica Piccolo Valerani, Cristina Donadio, Marianna Folli and Matteo Martari, Le bambine is written by Maria Sole Limodio together with the two directors.
As mentioned, the cinematography is by Marco Bassano CCS, who shapes the film’s visual universe through the telling of a childhood memory set in the late 1990s. Rounding out the creative team are editor Marcello Saurino, production designers Cristina Bartoletti and Luisa Iemma, costume designer Cristiana Agostinelli, and composers Lorenzo Confetta and Roberto Vernetti.
Produced by Emma Film, Cinédokké, Manny Films, Adler Entertainment, 360 Degrees Film and Mathematic, with the support of the Italian Ministry of Culture and RSI Radiotelevisione Svizzera, the film is an Italian-Swiss-French co-production. International sales are handled by Intramovies.
Marco Bassano CCS told us: “Le bambine, a film “with scraped knees and bruises on the heart” — that’s how the directors often describe it. Valentina and Nicole Bertani brought me on board a full five years before shooting began. It was a highly distinctive, ambitious and creative film: the story of a summer set in the 1990s, in provincial Italy. Having had so much time to prepare, we were able to work extensively on the film’s look. The directors paid close attention to the aesthetics, design and clothing of that period, as well as to colours and chiaroscuro contrasts. I mention chiaroscuro because, deep down, the story itself is also very dark/punk. These elements, together with a truly beautiful, well-written script, gave rise to our entire search for the most suitable visual language.
I proposed three different looks as early as a year or two before shooting started. During tests carried out at Panalight, we settled on one of them. Right from the start, we identified the ARRI ALEXA Mini LF as the ideal camera, partly because we needed a compact piece of equipment: our final decision was, in fact, to work almost exclusively with the Trinity. This choice allowed us to shift, within a single shot, from the girls’ point of view to that of the adults. The whole story revolves around this dual perspective, while remaining constantly anchored to the point of view of the protagonists and a dog, which, together with the three girls, is the true protagonist of the film.
This approach shaped the course we followed throughout production, amid numerous difficulties and constant changes. Although set in a single Italian province, the film became a travelling production: we shot in more than six regions. I have to say, though, that many of these difficulties, as well as some inevitable imperfections from working with the Trinity, turned into expressive elements, becoming an integral part of the film’s visual language.
The same goes for the choice of the square, 1:1 aspect ratio. At first, this stemmed from a desire to evoke the imagery of the 1990s, recalling 6×6 formats and Polaroids. In the end, though, it became almost a form of self-imposed constraint: narrowing the field of view meant enclosing that world within a precise frame, observed through the girls’ eyes.
Unfortunately, such an ambitious project couldn’t be completed in just seven weeks of shooting. Due to prior commitments, I wasn’t able to be there for the entire production, and in the final weeks, between Veneto and Switzerland, I was joined by Luca Costantini, a young cinematographer very close to the directors. And as second-unit DP, I had the pleasure of working with Andrea Benjamin Manenti CCS, a colleague from the Collettivo Chiaroscuro. He carried the project forward impeccably, staying true to the look and visual dramaturgy we had built, both through the camerawork and through the photographic choices.”
Le bambine is one of those films that’s almost impossible to complete without having the right people around you. Production pressures and the constant search for the best solution often lead to last-minute decisions, overturning plans that had taken years to put together. Fortunately, I was surrounded by an extraordinary crew, who gave me real, unwavering support right through to the end of the job.
As for the lenses, we carried out a long testing phase with the support of Panalight. In the end, we chose the Canon Sumire — modern lenses, but built according to a philosophy that harks back to the classic Canon K-35s. This decision led to a very precise choice in terms of exposure: shooting almost always at T2.8 or wider, to make the most of these lenses’ distinctive rendering and softness.
It’s a film very close to my heart, because I believe that, together with the costume, production design, and hair and make-up departments, we managed to achieve a shared goal. We built a coherent, recognisable world, and I think this comes across clearly on screen too ».
TECHNICAL CREDITS
Camera rental: Panalight
Camera Operator and Trinity Operator: Emilio Giliberti
1st Assistant Camera: Simone Cirillo
2nd Assistant Camera: Chiara Vigo
DIT: Mauro Toscano
Video Assist Operator: Simone Durando
2nd Unit DoP: Andrea Beniamin Manenti
Gaffer: Andrea Roslettato
Key Grip: Parvin Jason Tirgan
Camera: ARRI ALEXA Mini LF
Format: 1:1 (square)
Lenses: Canon Sumire
Colourist: Alessandro Pelliccia
Lab: Astradigital
