41° TORINO FILM FESTIVAL
OUT OF COMPETITION
PAOLO CONTE ALLA SCALA - IL MAESTRO È NELL'ANIMA
by Giorgio Testi
Country: Italy
Year: 2023
Duration: 106'
On February 19, 2023, Teatro alla Scala opened its doors to an exceptionally significant event for Italian culture: Paolo Conte, along with his ensemble of musicians, presented a concert with a setlist specifically curated for the occasion. For the first time, the global temple of opera chose an Italian singer-songwriter, acknowledging Paolo Conte’s iconic status within the Italian music scene and his international acclaim. This extraordinary and unrepeatable concert has been transformed into a documentary film, interspersed with footage depicting the preparation of the show, rehearsals, Paolo Conte’s arrival at the theater, snapshots from the soundcheck, backstage moments, and a valuable narrative about Paolo Conte and his relationship with music. This documentary film serves as a tribute to an unparalleled career and is poised to become a true testament to Paolo Conte’s artistic and cultural legacy. It’s a film that will remain in the memory of international culture.
Biography
film director
Giorgio Testi
(Rome) has built his international career directing live films and documentaries with a cinematic approach. His works have been nominated for the Grammys (Blur No Distance Left to Run/Live in Hyde Park), Emmys (Harry Potter 20th anniversary Return to Hogwarts), Baftas (Guitar Hero Live), and have participated in prestigious festivals. Over the past 15 years, he has collaborated with some of the world’s most iconic artists: The Rolling Stones, The Killers, Gorillaz, Andrea Bocelli, Amy Winehouse, The 1975, to name just a few. In 2023, he directed the documentary Paolo Conte alla Scala - Il Maestro è nell’anima.
FILMOGRAFIA
Hai paura del buio? Il film (doc., 2014), Noi siamo Afterhours (doc., 2018), Calcutta - Tutti in piedi. Live all’Arena di Verona (doc., 2018), Ode a Nick Drake. Songs in a Conversation (doc., 2019), Liberi e pensanti - Uno maggio Taranto (doc., 2020), Mahmood (doc., 2022), Who to Love (mm, 2023), Negramaro - Back Home. Ora so restare (doc., 2023), Paolo Conte alla Scala - Il Maestro è nell’anima (doc. 2023).
Declaration
film director
“The historic concert by Paolo Conte, which took place on February 19, 2023, at Teatro alla Scala in Milan, becomes a pretext and an opportunity to approach the artist from a privileged and intimate perspective: behind-the-scenes of the concert and rehearsals. In counterpoint to the predominant musical dimension and the images from La Scala, an interview conducted the day after the concert at the law office of the Conte family in Asti retraces his career through the narrative of his music from his point of view. Conte’s present-day words, echoed by archival footage of the Maestro in his youth, crystallize the moment and the artist: his taste, poetic essence, certain idiosyncrasies, the way music comes to life in his imagination, his passion for art, friendships with musicians, and finally, his relationship with the audience.”
Cast
& Credits
DIRECTOR: Giorgio Testi. SCREENPLAY: Pasquale Plastino, Giorgio Testi. CINEMATOGRAPHY: James Rhodes, Luca Ciuti. EDITING: Luca Previtali. MUSIC: Rita Allevato. PRODUCERS: Filippo Sugar, Elisabetta Biganzoli. PRODUCTION: Sugar Play.
CONTACT: Medusa
