Happy swimmers splash and play ball among the clouds. A few motorboats arrive. Someone dives. The air is calm.
AND THERE’S SOMEONE, the song that accompanies the video, tells of people who are about to die, the terminally ill; someone knows, someone pretends not to know, someone has already reached the last port. Sometimes with a smile on their face.
The song, part of the music project SAY HELLO TO THE CLOUDS by OTEME, is the reworking of an interview with Mariola Krajczewska, Stefano Giannotti’s wife, a healthcare assistant at the Hospice of San Cataldo, from the 2012 documentary SAY HELLO TO THE CLOUDS.
Video and music: Stefano Giannotti
Lyrics: Mariola Krajczewska – Stefano Giannotti
Dur. 5:26
Irene Benedetti: flute, voice
Valeria Marzocchi: flute
Lorenzo Del Pecchia: clarinet
Elia Bianucci: bass clarinet
Stefano Giannotti: voice, guitar
Emanuela Lari: keyboards, voice
Vittorio Win Fioramonti: double-bass, voice
Riccardo Ienna: percussion
Special Guest: Antonio Caggiano on vibraphone
https://www.climaxfilmfest.com/
Mortality’s Metaphors in Aquatic Elegies: Existential Reflections in Stefano Giannotti’s AND THERE’S SOMEONE
In an audacious blend of aquatic imagery and existential contemplation, Stefano Giannotti’s short film AND THERE’S SOMEONE (original Italian title: E C’È QUALCUNO) emerges as a seminal work in contemporary independent cinema. This 4-minute and 59-second musical odyssey, set against the serene backdrop of Albania, Croatia, and Italy, transcends its medium to become a philosophical and psychoanalytic exploration of life, death, and the ephemeral nature of human existence.
Giannotti, a maestro of multidisciplinary art forms, weaves a tapestry of visual poetry that resonates with the thematic profundity found in auteurs like Tarkovsky and Bergman. The film, an extension of the project SAY HELLO TO THE CLOUDS by OTEME, is an artistic reworking of an interview with healthcare assistant Mariola Krajczewska, encapsulating the poignant realities faced at the Hospice of San Cataldo.
The narrative, non-linear and abstract, is a cinematic ballet where happy swimmers, symbolic of life’s joy and innocence, juxtapose against the gravity of impending mortality. This contrast is further amplified by the motorboats and the act of diving, metaphors for the inevitable journey towards life’s final ‘port’. The calm air, interspersed with these visuals, serves as a poignant reminder of life’s fleeting tranquility.
Giannotti’s work challenges the viewer to confront the uncomfortable yet universal truths about death and dying. The film’s psychoanalytic depth is reminiscent of the existential inquiries in films like ‘The Seventh Seal’ and ‘Synecdoche, New York’, while its aesthetic and narrative structure draws parallels to the evocative storytelling found in global independent cinema.
AND THERE’S SOMEONE is more than a film; it is a philosophical inquiry set to the rhythm of life’s most profound question – the awareness and denial of our mortality. It stands as a testament to Giannotti’s prowess as a composer, director, and philosopher of the modern cinematic landscape. This film essay, part of the festival’s program, invites viewers to a cerebral journey through the realms of existentialism, art, and the human condition.
https://www.moviemaker.com/climax-2024-announces-film-festival-lineup/
Stefano Giannotti’s “And There’s Someone” offers a serene yet profound meditation on mortality, set against a backdrop of aquatic tranquility.