The Golden Dream

Descrizione

STORYLINE: A group of people participating in an art therapy course are in a theatre rehearsing an important choral concert mainly based on the music of composer Giacomo Puccini. During the rehearsals, they discover in the theatre a room that contains the costumes of scene of some characters of the Maestro's operas.

PRODUCTION: "Il Sogno d'oro" (The Golden Dream) is a sweet lullaby performed in the opera “La Rondine”, written in 1912 by Giacomo Puccini. The project arose from an idea of Carla Nolledi, musician and composer and Enrico Marchi, an Italian psychiatrist. Their source of inspiration has been the music of Puccini, used in many occasions for short theatre performances, the so-called "living paintings".
After these experiences, they felt the need of doing something different, using a different language: cinema.
Making a short film with psychiatric patients was a challenge, but unlike a play, a movie can be replicated indefinitely.
The short film "Il Sogno d'oro" was produced by the non-profit association "Il Sorriso di Stefano" with the aim of promoting a therapeutic modality that would help the patient's well-being and testify the therapeutic and expressive value of the arts such as music, cinema and theater.
In this short film - coming from family homes and recovery centers - about 30 psychiatric patients were acting.
During a year of work, they were joined by a professional crew, directed by Simone Rabassini and they were taught some tasks on the set.
The story is written by Debora Pioli following patients’ advices and the reflections.
In the short film they kept all their real names.
During this phase they were joined by two professional actors (Simona Generali and Paolo Giommarelli) who personified two true psychologists of the mental health center.
The aim was to undertake a therapeutic path aimed mainly at witnessing that even those with difficulty, with the right means, can achieve something professional, like a short film.
The dramatic themes of Puccini's works recall those experienced by patients and his characters and his music help to enhance the beauty of these people. Their faces tell their sad past, but they also filter beauty and great inner sensitivity.

Directed by: Simone Rabassini
Producers: Enrico Marchi, Raffaele Antonetti
Subject and artistic direction: Carla Nolledi
Script: Debora Pioli
Cinematography and Editing: Simone Rabassini
Cast: Simona Generali (Elisa), Paolo Giommarelli (Lele), Antonio De Bari (Puccini), Armida Pellegrini (Manon Lescaut), Ida Casali (Minì), Luciano Antonetti (Gianni Schicchi)
Costume: Katrina Siceva, Anita Arrighi
Sound: Daniele Addabbo