The Director and the Actress: A Bond Forged in Cinema
The relationship between the director and the actress,recently awarded best female performer in Venice for the film «The Kidnapping of Arabella» – now in cinemas – is a compelling one. It’s a connection built not just on professional collaboration, but on a deeper understanding. “The bond of humanity is stronger when you recognize something of yourself in the other,” explains one of the creatives involved.
A Superpower is Friendship
Born on the set of the 2022 movie «Amanda», the story of a teenager with a problematic relationship with her family, told in an ironic and surreal way. Three years later, they are together again in «The Kidnapping of Arabella», Cavalli’s film which debuted at the last Venice Film Festival in the Orizzonti section, from which Benedetta returned clutching the award for best female performance. The film, now in cinemas, is once again the story of a fragile young woman who struggles to find her place in the world and who sees in a little girl, the Arabella of the title, her double and the possibility of recovering her frayed past.
«It all started at the auditions for “Amanda” – says Cavalli – from there we started working together and for this second film I immediately had the intuition that she would be the right actress, even if they are two very different characters, but they share something profoundly common. It’s strange because when you work with an actress for an absolute leading role like Benedetta was for Amanda, a dialog relationship develops. At the beginning there was always Amanda between us, then little by little we left her behind, even if we often think about her with nostalgia. I immediately felt able to trust Benedetta, even tho I didn’t know her.”
«It was a friendship that we built slowly – confirms Porcaroli – getting to know each other and then respecting each other and then loving each other, to the point that now it even has a strange effect on me to think that she is my director. Today Carolina seems like a very familiar person to me, as if we’ve known each other forever and we’re friends first, then work comes.I believe that you become friends with another person also as you recognize something about yourself in the other. And so it went for us. Cinema was a means to give life to the characters that Carolina had in mind: very autonomous, free. We shot two very personal films together and the fact that I am in both of them meant that a very intimate, umbilical relationship was created between me and her.”
The Italian Town Reviving Ancient Traditions to Help Refugees
In the heart of Italy, the small town of Riace has become a beacon of hope and integration, offering a unique welcome to refugees and migrants. Faced with its own declining population and economic struggles, Riace embarked on an extraordinary project over two decades ago: opening its doors and integrating newcomers into the fabric of community life.
What began as a response to a shipwreck in 1994, where hundreds of migrants landed on its shores, evolved into a groundbreaking model of hospitality. Rather of viewing the arrivals as a burden,Riace’s then-mayor,Domenico Lucano,saw an opportunity. He envisioned a way to revitalize the town by utilizing the skills and energy of the refugees themselves.
The core of the Riace model is simple: refugees are provided with housing – often in abandoned buildings renovated by the newcomers – and given small stipends to work in essential services that the town lacked. This includes everything from maintaining public spaces and assisting the elderly to opening small businesses and reviving traditional crafts.
One striking example is the revival of ancient weaving techniques. Refugees from Afghanistan, many of whom possessed these skills, were given the opportunity to teach locals and create a thriving artisan workshop. This not only preserves a valuable cultural heritage but also provides a sustainable livelihood for both refugees and residents.
The project has breathed new life into Riace. Schools have reopened,shops have flourished,and the town’s population has steadily increased. More importantly, it has fostered a sense of community and mutual respect. Refugees are not simply tolerated; they are actively welcomed and integrated as valued members of society.
While the Riace model has faced political challenges and legal hurdles in recent years, its impact remains undeniable. It demonstrates that welcoming refugees isn’t just a humanitarian imperative, but also a potential catalyst for social and economic renewal. Riace stands as a powerful example of how embracing diversity can benefit everyone, proving that a small town can make a big difference in a world often marked by division and fear.
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