An all-Locarno story, that of Ferdinando Cito Filomarino. It was the year 2010 and a mysteriously-titled film was in competition at the Pardi di domani, Diarchy, starring an exceptional trio of actors, Louis Garrel, Riccardo Scamarcio, and Alba Rohrwacher. Luca Guadagnino was the producer. Alessandro Marcionni, the person then responsible for the Pardini, was right – Cito Filomarino has become one of the most interesting Italian directors of the past few years. Antonia, dedicated to poetess Antonia Pozzi, is by no means one of the most peculiar and original debuts of Italian cinema. Luchino Visconti’s grandnephew Cito Filomarino is a restless talent. Gifted with a singular gaze, he has an innate capacity to evoke images and rhythms that allow him to explore situations and genres far removed from one another. Eleven years after Diarchy, which remains fixed in many viewers’ eyes and minds, Ferdinando Cito Filomarino comes back to Locarno with his new film, marking a new turn in his artistic career.
Beckett is a true ‘auteur’ thriller. Masterfully played by John David Washington, one of the most inspiring actors of the past few years, the film tells the story of an American tourist vacationing in Greece who, as a consequence of a tragic accident, becomes the target of a ruthless manhunt. Cito Filomarino pays homage to the great political thriller tradition of the seventies established by Sydney Pollack and Alan J. Pakula, with a pinch of… Dario Argento. What did exactly see Beckett while he lay thinking he would die, and why does everyone want him dead? Produced by Frenesy, Luca Guadagnino’s production company, Beckett confirms the value of Ferdinando Cito Filomarino as an exciting, complete filmmaker who still holds surprises for the near future.
Giona A. Nazzaro
