What is our identity in a place without traditions? “We are too old-fashioned, this is the problem. We look at the moon, we look at too many things…” This is told to Angelo, a young waiter who lives in a small, Italian village. It is said that inside the grotto is guarded an ancient secret. The village seems to live in a suspended time, anchored to old rituals, such as pig’s killing, wheat harvesting or the electoral campaign

Interview with Writer/Director Vanina Lappa

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I made this film because I needed to know and to be conscious about the traditions of my country and its deep identity, which is my identity too. So I took the time to do a long and thorough voyage to the south of Italy, which is made up of little and lost villages.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

I think this film talks about something universal, it talks about a world that is dying, it talks, I hope, about all of us.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

The story of Angelo, which is a personal story set in a small village, has a universal meaning and it is a representation of what is going on in all the countries of the world.

All ancient traditions are dying because of capitalism and I thought it was important to document this historical moment through the stories of common people.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

I knew clearly how I wanted to start and to close the film, the way to join those two extremities in a narrative way was a continuous development and challenge for me during the shooting, the editing for me was a very interesting way to also write the film.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

I received good feedback, in my opinion because everyone can identify a part of their country with this little village.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

The feedback has surprised me, overall people's point of view helped me to see more clearly my work and in a more complex way.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I hope that people far from me will know something about this place, I hope than cinema can make people come closer.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

"Over the river" is an independent film, so I would like to make buyers, distributors and film festival directors aware, because a film can exist when it is shared.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I would like to make people aware of these problems, and to communicate that these matters are universal subjects. They can appear with different forms, but we can not forget traditions that belong to us or we will be like orphans, we have to ask ourselves what's left of our past today and what we can do with it.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

A key question would be: "to leave our place, our country, our home, is it a choice or not today?"

Would you like to add anything else?

I would like that in my country documentarist and filmmaker's work would be more considered.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I would like to discover new places that will allow me to talk about identity, which is a very complex theme right now in Europe.

Interview: November 2017

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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

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Over the river

What is our identity in a place without traditions?

Length: 74'

Director: Vanina Lappa

Producer: Solange Laissy, Livio Lappa, Vanina Lappa

Writer: Vanina Lappa

About the writer, director and producer:

Vanina Lappa is an Italian-French director and editor based in Bruxelles.

She graduated in Painting and Visual Arts.

Her first documentary film “Over the River” won the first prize at the International Filmmaker Festival in Milan

Key cast: Angelo Soria, Angelo Pellegrino

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Producers, distributors, film festival directors

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sopra-il-Fiume-1705055952844753/

Made in association with: Aranciafilm

Where will the film screen in the next month?: Marseilles