Press-conference of Paolo Taviani: “Cinema is teamwork”

After having his master-class, Paolo Taviani gave a press-conference at Vologda Philarmony. The director was answering questions about Italian cinema and artistic vivacity with the use of his peculiar imagery and metaphors. He shared his impressions of Vologda with the audience as well.

- Why after the glory of Italian cinema, with such names as Fellini, Visconti, you seem to be having a kind of a downturn and lack of outstanding figures at the moment?
- Italian cinema is like a big tree, that keeps its roots in Italian culture, grows out. But this tree has not lost its leaves, it is getting new ones. And I think one shouldn't judge the cinema of a country only based on the amount of great directors in it. Please, don’t worry, they will be born for sure! Italian cinema will be reborn.

- Do you have a secret for artistic vivacity?
- I can’t share it with you. Otherwise, it will stop being a secret. The only thing I will tell you is that making films is a necessity for me. The process gives an opportunity to experience new adventures over and over again, meet people, visit places that you could not have visited before. The whole process is an adventure, one needs to live a life of adventures.

- How did you like working with your brother Vittorio? Is working on a film with somebody harder that working on it all by yourself?
- Cinema is teamwork. It’s hard to separate the roles up to the end. This is like when you are drinking cappuccino, you never know where the milk ends and where the coffee starts.

- What do you think of Vologda and the VOICES Festival?
- I have been to Russia many times, but mainly in Moscow and St.Petersburg. The brightest impression is the sound of my footsteps while I was walking upstairs into the house of Tolstoy. But now I am struck by the beauty of your city, I like visiting your monasteries – I start thinking about Tarkovsky.

And it’s vitally important that young European cinema is being shown in such a city, though it’s not that easy. But this only proves the love for art at this place.

Federico Fellini said, the more provincial the film is, the more unique it is.

See you in Vologda!