Mobbing, Cross-Dressing & The Boss From Hell

Aug. 10, 2010 - PRLog -- The Italian workplace seen by Kalifilm Productions, independent filmmakers au début

You might have heard of commonplaces according to which Italy is ruled by lineage: the figli di papa’ (sons of rich, powerful people) have access to positions of prestige, while the others end up elbowing each other for an insignificant, short- term assignment at the local sweat factory. You might be aware of urban legends about sex scandals featuring first-class managers and politicians - people who splurge on exotic beauties and cocaine but become a little stingier when it comes to paying their workforce a legitimate salary. You might have stumbled upon cases of young Italians who, despite their highly qualified skills and excellent education, struggle to enter the job market until they expatriate. They often seek a better future in a country where asking for a proper contract doesn’t make you the Shakespearean fool.

Guess what? Everything you might have heard is actually true. This is why a group of independent filmmakers from the Abruzzo region - which is sadly known for the recent earthquake - joined forces to produce a zero-budget short film about the ultimate spaghetti office. The dark comedy “Delphina” tells the story of entry- level, short-term employee Davide Tommasi. He’s a hardworking nerd who takes promotion strategies to a whole new level: he wakes up at dawn to be the office early bird, he sips energy drinks to avoid leaving his desk at lunchtime, and so forth. In the office, the mobbing break is the most delicious time of day to unload deep-rooted frustrations. Davide’s colleagues mock his stubbornness with cruelty, while the Big Boss adds tricks of his own to finish the poor fellow off. In order to make peace with himself, Davide will have to become someone else entirely: someone who looks good and talks even better, someone who’s fluent in French, someone who wears stilettos..

Cambridge-educated, first-time screenwriter & director Lara Celenza talks about the whole Delphina experience as a little miracle: “We received a substantial support from the local community: good theatre actors, free locations, free snacks, encouragement. On the other hand, getting access to funding was virtually impossible - it’s a dark time for culture in this country. I’m optimistic though. I believe in the strength of ideas. We have several projects in development; our voice will be heard”. When asked about the possibility of working abroad, Lara says: “I’d definitely go for it. I love travelling and experiencing new cultures - it’s part of my DNA”.

Antonio Guidone, the lead actor, speaks of the Italian reality in not-so-soft terms: “I trained in the theatre following the rigorous Stanislavsky-Strasberg method. Of course, when it comes to auditioning, no one cares about that. They want to know if you’re related to anyone famous, if you’ve worked with anyone famous, if you walk the dog of anyone famous. Their chatter sounds like high-school-bully nonsense. Training, technique, theatre, experience... it doesn’t matter! There are no free auditions where you can just go and eventually be selected on the basis of your acting skills. If you want to get cast, you must get a recommendation from one of the very few agencies. There is no merit in this country. You need to be freakishly tenacious... just like my character Davide, who never gives up”.

According to first-time DoP Giacinto Sirbo, working on a zero budget has its distinctive advantages: “You learn how to rely solely on your own capabilities. You have to adjust the lights, operate the camera, think about safety on the set. When we were editing Delphina, there was a private joke going on about us developing supernatural powers: we were in charge of video editing, sound editing, dubbing, even foley! It’s a little insane, albeit very rewarding. We had the greatest of times”.

Delphina - International Trailer (with English subtitles)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjfv7M9JjzE



http://www.kalifilmproductions.com