Greta Di Raimondo was born in Salemi (Italy) on October 4th, 1996. She has always had a strong passion for art and cinema and in 2010 she decided to attend a film school, where she studied the field of audiovisual disciplines from a technical and theoretical point of view and multimedia arts. In 2021 she finished her university studies with a Master's Degree in Theater and Performing Arts at the IUAV University of Venice with a research thesis on found footage cinema. In addition to her passion for directing, she writes about cinema for the "Birdmen Magazine".
Q. Hello Greta, it's a pleasure to have you with us for this interview. Congratulations on your ‘Best Drama’ award at last April's edition of the “Rome International Movie Awards” (clike HERE).
Your new movie is “Metamorfosi”: in a few words, what is it about?
A. I'm really honoured for this prize and I would like to thank the "Rome International Movie Awards" jury for reward my film, this means a lot. "Metamorfosi" is a psychological and intimate journey into the emotions of a young man with a painful past and with a strong artistic and expressive vein. As the title suggests, the film is the metaphor of a rediscovery of oneself that leads to a rebirth in a new guise.
Q. What
can you tell us about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere? Was
it difficult to find the right collaborators and, above all, a cast who
could translate your cinematographic vision into acting and images?
A. The shooting period on set was, from an artistic point of view, particularly stimulating for the team. There has always been an active exchange of ideas and impressions between the team and the actors and, as my first solo approach to directing, I was lucky enough to partner with them. From the beginning I have always had a precise idea on how the actors were to impersonate the characteristics of the characters in the film. Finding the right actor to play the main character was the most difficult challenge. In a film like "Metamorfosi", where the almost absence of dialogue requires an almost completely bodily acting, it was necessary to have actors who were able to communicate in a soundless way, only with the face and the movements, like in silent cinema. Despite the difficulty of these roles, the actors have managed very well in bringing the sensations and emotions of the characters back to the screen.
Q. What got you into filmmaking in the first place, and did you receive any formal training on the subject?
A. I have always interested in cinema and filmmaking and my main goal is to make film directing my job. My first school was the movies I loved to see and watch as a child. I tried to understand the mechanisms behind the making of a film and reproduced them at home, as a game. I started studying cinema from a technical point of view during high school years, in which I attended a course dedicated to history of cinema and film directing. I had the fortune to interface with professionals in the sector, who taught me the language of cinema and start immediately to experiment with.
Q. What can you tell us about your filmwork prior to "Metamorfosi"?
A. As I said, "Metamorfosi" is my first solo approach to cinema as a director. Before making this film I had some experiences of collaborations with other work teams and I received many commissioning of works such as commercials, promotional and private videos. In 2017 I worked for the Stiftung Mozarteum of Salzburg and I realized a short docu-film about the annual musical week on town. That was my very first important commission.
Q. Any future projects you’d like to share?
A. I'm currently working on many ideas, among which I would like to direct a film about a particular episode of Mozart’s trip in Italy. You will see hopefully soon.
Q. How would you describe yourself as a director?
A. To be honest, I'm still discovering myself as a director. I think it is one of the most complete figures in the artistic field and I think it takes several years to reach a sufficient maturity. As a director I love to transfer my imagination to the actors and also to the work team and see it born and developing. I immediately establish a good communication with the actors and it is my priority that they feel as comfortable as possible in the role they are playing. I am very attentive to details on set and tend to want to perfect every aspect. There is never a shortage of moments of fun that I consider essential for the success of a good coexistence on the set and on the sensations that each of us will then carry inside after.
Q. Directors (and indeed actors) who inspire you?
A. I have a particular interest in classical cinema and the directors I love and have inspired me are many. To name a few: Orson Welles, Stanley Kubrick, Sergio Leone, Ingmar Bergman, Francis Ford Coppola, Milos Forman, Luchino Visconti, Pier Paolo Pasolini. Among the directors of the contemporary scene I also have to name Paolo Sorrentino, Mario Martone, Yorgos Lanthimos, Christopher Nolan and Tim Burton. I also have a strong passion for German cinema of the early twentieth century (German Expressionism) and my favourite directors of that era are: Robert Wiene, Fritz Lang and F. W. Murnau.
Q. Your favourite movies? And of course, films you really deplore?
A. As a cinephile I can never give a precise list of my favorite films, but if I had to mention the ones that influenced me the most I would say: "Amadeus" (1984) directed by Milos Forman, "Barry Lyndon" (1975) and "Eyes Wide Shut" (1999) directed by Stanley Kubrick, "The Third Man" (1949) directed by Carol Reed, "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962) directed by David Lean, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (1966) directed by Sergio Leone, "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920) directed by Robert Wiene and so others more. I don't think I have any films that I disapprove of because I respect every form of cinema language, however I have to admit that I am not a great lover of the comic genre.
A. I'm on Facebook (HERE), Instagram (HERE) and Filmfreeway (HERE).
Q. Thank you for this very inspiring interview, Greta. Here at the “Rome International Movie Awards” we look forward to seeing and appreciating your new film productions!
A. I enjoyed so much this interview! Thank you for having me and I hope to compete to your festival with a new film as soon as possible!
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