-What has been the greatest difficulty you faced in producing your project?
I think it is very difficult to find productions company willing to produce the genre of my films. I consider myself lucky. The Shadows Factory met my demands and respected my vision. In hindsight, the greatest difficulty was taking care of the direction, photography and acting in such a complex role.
-Do you think the film industry today has been damaged by political correctness?
Absolutely yes, but the worst thing is that this system is obtuse and hinders anyone who dares to question them.
-What was the greatest source of inspiration for creating your project?
My films are all very personal. Making “Katabasis” was for me an existence, a necessity. Of course, I am very interested in the theme of abuse, but I did not want to show a woman as a victim. The protagonist is on one hand dependent on the abuse she suffers, but a part of her is also abusive, indecipherable, willing to do anything to survive. Within certain limits all the characters in the film suffer and impart abuse. It is society that pushes in this direction.
-If you could ask a question to a great director from the past, who would you like to talk to and what would you ask them?
My first cinematic love was Ingmar Bergman. So, sure, I would have liked to talk to him. First of all, I would like to ask him if he has made peace with God.
-What do you think of the Wild Filmmaker platform?
I think it’s pure oxygen. A very important point of reference for those who work in independent cinema. I think it’s becoming a reality and it is destined to grow up more and more.
-What has been the greatest difficulty you faced in producing your project?
I think in all film productions you are going to have hiccups…I was told that it’s an actual miracle that any films are ever made due to so many people having to be involved. For me I’d say, trying to realize my vision with no real budget. The major set piece in my film, the robbery at the art gallery, was done in the recording studio using sound effects and the actors performing their lines in a booth.
-Do you think the film industry today has been damaged by political correctness?
I don’t think the current political climate has affected the film industry. I think the lack of good story-telling has damaged the film industry. Interesting characters doing interesting things has always sold, and I think us as filmmakers have to have the courage to tell the stories we want to tell. If that means lower budgets…then we tell smaller, more intimate stories.
-What was the greatest source of inspiration for creating your project?
I love the 90s style neo-noir films, that’s what I grew up watching and when I think of films that I want to produce…this style, these themes are on the forefront of my mind.
-If you could ask a question to a great director from the past, who would you like to talk to and what would you ask them?
I am a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick and I would love to just pick his brain on scene blocking, set piece design…basically his method for filmmaking.
-What do you think of the Wild Filmmaker platform?
Wild Filmmaker is an amazing platform for independent artists and filmmakers. Such a great resource to be introduced to films and filmmakers that you might not otherwise. Forever grateful to have found this platform.
She is a woman, dreammaker, actress and mother extremely curious about everything that, invisible, connects human beings to each other and to Mother Nature.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
Since I was a child I loved acting and pretending to be somewhere else. I often had to escape from the reality that surrounded me and so I succeeded. Over time I discovered the therapeutic and initiatory side of art and I understood that I was very lucky to follow that first intuition…
-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?
Absolutely. I think that cinema as art, and art in general, is the most effective way to change society.
In the film “The Broken Key” by Louis Nero, my character said “Art is a breath of wind that inspires change”… It’s because it stimulates both of our hemispheres: it opens us and pushes us to action, simultaneously.
-When did you realize that the story living in your heart had to be turned into a screenplay and then into a film project?
Every time I feel deeply passionate about a topic, there comes a moment when I feel the urgency to make it manifest. Since the acting and performing art is what I have been studying for the longest time, I’ve trasformed these urgencies into a documentary film, a short film, a podcast… simply the forms closest to me.
-What would you change in the world?
I’d like a slower world with less consumerism… and therefore a world where it will be easier to connect between human beings and with Mother Nature.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
I think there will no longer be cinema as we know it… but, whatever form the story takes, I hope that we return to it just for the sake of growth and knowledge.
– Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
When I was ten, I was deeply moved by “Beauty and the Beast,” a cinematic masterpiece created by the unrivaled French poet Jean Cocteau. It was a pivotal moment for me as I realized the profound impact of cinema in bringing fantastical stories to life through tangible visuals. The sheer magic of cinema, with its ability to breathe life into the realms of imagination, truly captivated me and ignited my creativity— the whimsical stories swirling in my mind could one day grace the silver screen. Over the years, this film experience has left an indelible mark on me, greatly influencing and shaping my passion for writing.
– When did you realize that the story living in your heart had to be turned into a screenplay and a film project?
The genesis of my screenplay stemmed from a fascinating incident involving my sister’s encounter with my doppelgänger, coupled with a thought-provoking 2013 article on the British government’s concerns about the spread of Chinese Triad gangs in London. These personal anecdotes and real-world issues provided a strong foundation for the screenplay, infusing it with a depth that later struck a chord with readers and judges. The acclaim it garnered has driven me to continuously refine and elevate the script’s quality to attract a director’s interest in turning it into a film.
In this context, my best endorsement comes from The Newyorker Indie Critic’s Choice Awards: “The Dead Ringer is a screenplay of extraordinary originality. The characters are all developed with a style reminiscent of the great tradition of Hollywood screenwriters from the 1950s, although Suzanne Lutas has created a very modern type of screenplay. We believe that “The Dead Ringer” could one day also become a film. The screenwriter’s creativity is a guarantee of quality. We are confident that the project, accompanied by a good Film Pitch Deck, will attract the interest of various productions and distributors.”
– Is there a person you would like to thank for helping you bring your project to life?
I am deeply grateful for Dan Calvisi’s invaluable guidance and mentorship, whose screenwriting Master Class was instrumental in shaping The Dead Ringer. I also want to express my deep appreciation to Producer James Quince for believing in and optioning my script, bringing it one significant stride closer to realization. Lastly, I am thankful for the potential production companies that will support and invest in this project.
– Do you think the Wild Filmmaker Community is helping to turn your dream into a reality?
I am expressing my deepest gratitude to the Wild Filmmaker Community for their unwavering support in helping me bring my aspirations closer to fruition. This community has served as an invaluable platform, enabling my script to gain recognition and accolades at prestigious festivals across the globe. Their dynamic and encouraging environment has been pivotal in my project’s growth and ultimate success.
In the coming days, Oscar-winner Nick Vallelonga, in partnership with the Matera International Film Festival, will present his latest short film, “The Shadowlands,” together with Wild Filmmaker. One of the actors in the cast is Dante Palminteri, who has given an exclusive interview to Wild Filmmaker today.
As the Editor-in-Chief of Wild Filmmaker, I am very happy to welcome Dante Palminteri to our community. He is a talented young actor and guitarist raised in Brooklyn and the son of the renowned Chazz Palminteri, whose work I have always admired, particularly “A Bronx Tale,” directed by Oscar-winner Robert De Niro but written and performed by the great Chazz Palminteri himself.
-Who is Dante Palminteri?
I am a man who always had stories in his head. Even when I was a kid I remember always writing stories. I was captivated by the cinema and the art of filmmaking. The ability to see a world unfold always drew me in immediately. Being able to be transported through time and space was fascinating.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
I grew up on movie sets and in theaters. Cinema was always a giant cornerstone of my life. I was constantly flooded with the greatest actors and movies of all time which made me passionate about the art of cinema. There was never one moment I fell in love with filmmaking rather it was something that was always there since my early childhood.
-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?
Yes, I think cinema can have a tremendous effect on society. Art is able to speak to us on a level that nothing else can. It has the ability to make us examine our souls and long for something we didn’t even know we wanted.
-When did you realize that the story living in your heart had to be turned into a screenplay and then into a film project?
This short was brought to my attention by Nick. I always know when I read a good part because I instantly feel a connection to the character. And I knew speaking to Nick that we were of the same mindset. He has the best sense of story telling and was committing to making a really great film. The man is a master at making something with very little recourses. He has the best imagination.
-What would you change in the world?
I would change how divided our world is. We need to stand shoulder to shoulder and be brothers and sisters.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
I want to see the film industry gravitate back toward story driven projects. I love the big tent pole blockbusters but nothing can compare to the classic movies that just told a simple and great story. What’s better then when you walk out of the theatre and you are different from the way you walked in.
