Niscemi, Sicily. A landscape shaped by intensive farming, wildfires, and MUOS: imposing military antennae that disfigure the territory. At almost 30 years old, Valentina still lives with her parents. When her father’s health deteriorates, she is forced to take her fate into her own hands. A delicate tale of emancipation rooted in a ravaged yet beloved land.
SCREENINGS & AWARDS
World Premiere: Visions du Réel – National Competition 2024
2024 DOK Leipzig (International Premiere)
2024 Festival dei Popoli (Italian Premiere)
2024 IDFA (Dutch Premiere)
2024 RIDM (North American Premiere)
AWARDS
- Special Jury Award in National Competition at Visions du Réel 2024
- Prize of the International Film Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) at DOK Leipzig 2024
PRESS
Reviews: Modern Times Review, Cineuropa, Journey Into Cinema, High on Films, Film Fest Report
Interviews: Business Doc Europe, La Gruyère (FR)
***
“aesthetically pleasing, delicate, and emotionally charged direct cinema” … “Like the succulent plants lovingly cultivated by her father, Francesca Scalisi captured Valentina’s late but moving blossoming in a documentary that prompts us to reflect on our relationship with territories and how they shape our lives.”
Aurelie Geron, Film Fest Report
Valentina and the MUOSters echoes the work of two great contemporary masters of Italian documentary filmmaking: Gianfranco Rossi (the portrait of a small community caught up in the turmoil of global events brings Fire at Sea to mind) and Roberto Minervini, especially his opus about people on the margins of society in the American South. But Francesca Scalisi opts for a more intimate approach, centred on her protagonist and her immediate surroundings. In this respect, the cinematography of the director’s regular collaborator Stefania Bona, who adopts a boxy 4:3 aspect ratio, foregrounds Valentina to the fullest, whilst also getting the most out of the usually barren landscape. But the real “MVP” among the film crew is composer and sound designer Olga Kokcharova, whose work in both departments creates the perfect synergy of droning noise, reminding us that Valentina and her family feel constantly threatened by a situation which far exceeds their ability to change it.
Marko Stojiljković, Cineuropa
DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY
Francesca Scalisi
Born in 1982 in Bergamo, Italy. Italian citizenship. She graduated from ZeLIG (School for Documentary, Television and New Media) in Bolzano. In 2012 she cofounded Dok Mobile production company. She works as an editor, producer and director. She is also the cofounder and Artistic Director of Flying Film Festival.
Filmography
Moriom (2015)
Demi-vie à Fukushima (2016)
Ligne noire (2017)
Le Dilemme du porc-épic (2019)
Digitalkarma (2019)
CREDITS
Direction Francesca Scalisi
Written by Francesca Scalisi
Cinematography Stefania Bona
Editing Marzia Mete
Sound Operator Balthasar Jucker
Sound Editing Adrien Kessler
Sound Design Olga Kokcharova
Composer Olga Kokcharova
Producer Mark Olexa
Co-producers Chiara Galloni (DOK MOBILE), Ivan Olgiati (Articolture)
Production company DOK MOBILE
Co-production Articolture
PRODUCER’S BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY
Mark Olexa
Born in 1984 in Biel, Switzerland. Joint Swiss and Czech citizenship. 2005-06 Attends PCFE (Prague Film School). 2007-10 Attends ZeLIG (School for Documentary, Television and New Media) in Bolzano. 2012 Cofounds Dok Mobile and coproduces international projects. Was part of the Emerging Producer Program in 2018 and is a member of the Swiss Film Academy since 2021. Cofounder and artistic director of Flying Film Festival.
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DOK MOBILE is a production company based in Givisiez/Fribourg, active since 2014. It was founded by Swiss director and producer Mark Olexa and Italian director and editor Francesca Scalisi. Its films carry a strong social message blended with artistic research.
DOK MOBILE
Fribourg, Switzerland
production@dokmobile.ch
+41 79 718 48 91
https://dokmobile.ch
CO-PRODUCTION COMPANY
Articolture
Bologna, Italy
info@articolture.it
051 0414395
https://www.articolture.it
