LO SMALTO NERO

A man is intent on writing his fantasy stories, playing with the destiny of the characters he has created, who, like marionettes, act solely according to his will. But what happens if one of his imaginary creatures becomes self-aware and willing? Simone Caridi, born in Sanremo in 1989, brings to light his third short film (produced by the Sanremo Filmica Association), for which he is responsible not only for the direction but also the screenplay and photography. The young director has collaborated as a director of photography on various films ("Tattoo" by R. Di Gerlando; "In the Pocket of the Coat" by M. Di Gerlando), which have received positive feedback from critics at the various festivals where they have been presented. The story of "Lo Smalto Nero" is introduced to us through a maxim by William Shakespeare: "It is not in the Stars that our destiny is preserved, but within ourselves...", a phrase that reveals in all its poetic splendor the metaphorical meaning of the work. The plot is set in an ancient historical context, as highlighted by the costumes and the enchanting medieval-like music (composed by the harpist Claudia Murachelli), and takes place mainly in a forest. To tell us what is, in effect, a black fairy tale, is the voice of the writer protagonist: the device of the voice-over, however, sometimes proves redundant, especially due to the short duration of the film. Suggestive is the gothic setting and the dreamlike atmosphere that is felt from beginning to end, capable of plunging the viewer into a sort of dream, or better yet, between the pages of a macabre fairy tale, as cruel as it is real. The beautiful female protagonist (played by the angelic Jessica Zampellini) is nothing more than a puppet in the hands of the one who has shaped her on paper and who uses her to carry out vendettas and decree the fate of others: the pen with which the man writes his fairy tale is also the instrument of death used by the maiden. The latter, wrapped in a red cloak, moves among the trees appearing and disappearing as if she were a vision, until she will knock on the door of her creator. The message that Caridi conveys (each one is the architect of their own destiny) comes through loud and clear, although the story as a whole is not entirely convincing. The staging is good and a certain care for details is evident, but the screenplay appears rather flat and weak. The basic idea is undoubtedly original and the almost arcane and magical style brings to the film a quid that fits well with the elegance of the stage representation; however, the narrative plot lacks bite and rhythm, preventing a more effective and functional development for the plot. A work that shows a fairly solid supporting structure and that would have benefited from a better rendition with some small adjustments in the writing phase. The young age of the artist, however, bodes well for a bright future; the potential is all there and I hope it will be exploited in the best possible way.