26/02/2019 - Marcello Sannino’s first feature is about a woman with a free and rebellious spirit who risks losing her daughter due to her work with illegal immigrants

Marcello Sannino, Ivana Lotito, Ludovica Nasti and Fabrizio Rongione (© Mario Spada)

Filming has just kicked off on Rosa Pietra e Stella [+see also:
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Sannino’s film tells the story of Carmela, a beautiful, free young woman who lives in Portici with her mother and daughter. Naples represents the nearby metropolis where Carmela hopes to live her life. Spurred on by her rebellious spirit and survival instinct, she follows her confused ambitions using the only tools that fate has made available to her. Among the numerous small jobs that she takes, one job in particular seems to give her hope, but it involves working with immigrants on behalf of a lawyer. She is given responsibility for Tarek, a forty-year-old Algerian man who has lived in Naples for many years. The fragile balance of Carmela's life soon starts to collapse when she risks losing her daughter to social services. Carmela, now out of place in her own town, will do everything she can to get her back.

Ivana Lotito (Azzurra in the Gomorra TV series) plays Carmela, while and Ludovica Nasti, the amazing young actress in My Brilliant Friend [+see also:
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trailer
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"In my opinion," says the director, "there is no such thing as a 'social' problem. Problems are all human problems. And in these increasingly inhuman times, the only thing we can do is focus on the people themselves." The film’s screenplay was written by Marcello Sannino, Giorgio Caruso and Guido Lombardi with Massimiliano Virgilio. Joining the project as the director of photography is Alessandro Abate, while editing has been entrusted to Giogiò Franchini, music to Riccardo Veno, set design to Antonio Farina, sound to Daniele Maranello, costume design to Rossella Aprea, and casting to Adele Gallo and Massimiliano Pacifico.

(Translated from Italian)