Directed by Marco Santi
Produced by Illmattic Film Group
A chef teaches his young colleague how to dance to prepare him for a very special date.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH MARCO
Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
I don't have great memories of when I fell in love with cinema, however I remember well how I started making films: in high school, with friends, making amateur films with bizarre plots. I started filming around 15 and have never stopped. My path has been singular and tortuous, but I had fun and I still enjoy it. I'm a self-taught Italian director, I've always experimented from the very first steps. Over the years I have shot shorts, music videos, advs, without ever forgetting what the only goal is: making movies.
Tell us about the genesis of Us? How did the project come about?
Nother and I are longtime collaborators and friends. When the green light for ''Us'' finally came, we had a very tight request for delivery of the video... I called Nother and said to him we were going to have a music video with people dancing and nothing more. So I listened to the track, I let a few days pass (just to increase the difficulty lol) and I came up with this idea of creating a bizarre and awkward story that could contrast the sensitive and nostalgic musicality of the piece. The process was very fast, but also a lot of fun. I called back Nother when the video was already shot.
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
The main obstacles were the short lead time and low budget, maybe the worst possible situation but at the same time you are forced to be pragmatic and to make choices, find solutions and be smart. It's challenging but it's also good training.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
The post-production process was also quick and painless. we knew what we wanted to achieve and we used all the time available, even something more… hehe. 3, 2, 1 and we were already online. The audience's response was positive right from the start and two months after its release the video is still walking. For a tiny project like that this is really good. I thank everyone for the work done and for the support.
Words of wisdom. What advice would you give to other filmmakers?
I am not the man of advice, but what I can say is just to set small or big goals and to work every day to achieve them. This is what I do in my small way.
What are you working on now?
At the moment I'm working on a couple of subjects with a couple of my writing friends. We are looking to experience something new. Let's see... I will keep you posted.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
Among the films I've seen recently, Raw, the previous Ducourneau's movie comes to mind. It moved something in me. I also recommend Audiard's Paris, 13Arr. and Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy