SYNOPSIS: In a cooking school within the Velletri Prison, some apprentice chefs are training in the hope of one day working in a prestigious star-rated restaurant, the Garden of Delights, a career goal onto which each projects their hopes and desires. Today is the day of the final selections, and the preparation of each recipe will mark the beginning of an introspective journey into their memories, affections, and cultural origins.

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GENRE: Short film

LANGUAGE: Italian

LOCATION: Italy

DURATION: 17 min

YEAR OF PRODUCTION: 2023

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With the actors detained at the Velletri Prison

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Director Simone Spampinato​

Screenplay Martina Storani

Director of Photography Alessandro Lazzi

Video Editing Simone Spampinato

Sound Simone Spampinato

Productor Simone Spampinato

Distribution Esen Studios

Theatrical Director Scenari Futuri Project Martina Storani

Tutor Instructor Antonino Marrari

Artistic Director Valentina Esposito
Communication, Promotion and Social Media Gabriella Indolfi

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A production by Fort Apache Cinema Teatro and Jumping Flea, with the support of the Lazio Region, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice - Department of Penitentiary Administration - Velletri Prison, Guarantor for persons deprived of liberty of the Lazio Region, Ministry of Culture, I.I.S.S. Cesare Battisti of Velletri - Prison Section.

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DIRECTOR'S NOTES:

The prison environment has severe psychological consequences, related to the difficulty of facing the past and the separation from outside life. Inmates often have to hide their vulnerability, wearing masks and different roles. Theater becomes an effective tool, allowing the exploration of a different present and future, offering a temporary escape and the chance to experience other lives. The playful nature of the theatrical workshop facilitates the emergence and sharing of deep themes, allowing for protected and unforced expression. Keeping this in mind, the visual and thematic approach of our documentary was to explore how, through acting and the strong connection that food has with memory, every detained citizen who took part in the film allowed themselves to be carried away, opening up to their personal life story. From a photographic point of view, we wanted to emphasize this delving into personal memories, with sometimes stolen or very close-up shots, as if immersing in the prepared food and the memories and lives of each protagonist. The kitchen environment itself thus becomes a protagonist, as a place of aggregation, memories, and mental escape, in anticipation of a real and at the same time metaphorical judgment awaiting each of them.