by Michele Diomà

Sleeper, Annie Hall—for which he won an Oscar—but above all, Manhattan are just some of the screenplays Marshall Brickman co-wrote with Woody Allen.

Just a few hours ago, Marshall transitioned to another dimension. I imagine him already in deep conversation with Federico Fellini about Juliet of the Spirits, much like the iconic scene in Annie Hall, where Diane Keaton and Woody Allen’s characters discuss art while waiting in line for the cinema.

Screenwriters are often an underappreciated category, despite Alfred Hitchcock’s famous statement: “To make a great film, you need three things: the script, the script, and the script.”

Today, we at the WILD FILMMAKER Community wish to honor a remarkable screenwriter, fully aware that we live in a world where the most important things are often misunderstood, and truth turn into lies—like in a George Orwell novel. For me, the screenplay of Manhattan, written by Marshall Brickman, inspired a pivotal decision: in 2018, I chose to produce a film in New York.

For some, it was a self-destructive folly to leave Rome and attempt to create a film in Manhattan, titled Dance Again with Me Heywood!, a tribute to the most Chaplinesque contemporary artist.

I arrived in the U.S. for the American premiere of my first film, Sweet Democracy, which featured the late Nobel laureate actor and playwright Dario Fo. I also came to Manhattan to deliver a masterclass on independent filmmaking at New York University.

What was meant to be a two-week stay turned into two months. I vividly recall the first time I saw 6th Avenue. Walking silently among the towering skyscrapers, I kept repeating to myself: “I love this place; I never want to leave.” It was a cold November evening. Back in my hotel room, I rewatched Manhattan on my computer, and in that moment, I decided my next film would be made in New York. I brought that vision to life the following year, even securing James Ivory as a special guest—who, incidentally, won an Oscar that year for Best Screenplay. It was a dream come true for a small Italian producer deeply in love with New York.

This love, ignited by Marshall Brickman’s creativity, has only grown over time. My most recent film shot in New York, O – the fiSRt mOvie by aN alien, brought me the immense honor and joy of working with Academy Award-nominated actress Mariel Hemingway, the co-star of Manhattan.

Marshall Brickman will forever remain a source of inspiration for anyone creating projects with WILD FILMMAKER. True cinema, after all, never dies.

Ciao, Marshall. Grazie !!