ITALY
2024 – DCP – color – 52’

Direction: Pascal Pezzuto

Screenplay: Pascal Pezzuto

Cinematography: Marco Triarico

Editing: Vito Palumbo

Music: Gianluigi Antonaci

Cast: Giorgio Vignali (mesciu Carmelu), Augusto Zucchi (Pio XI), Pascal Pezzuto (Giuseppe Manzo), Anna Murolo (mother of Achille De Lucrezi), Salvo De Santis (president of the commission), Donato Chiarello (apostolic nuncio), Gino Cesaria (Bishop of Lecce), Pietro Sèrio (Achille De Lucrezi young), Andrea Sirianni (Antonio Maccagnani), Daniele Panarese (Don Cesare Potenza), Franco Leccese (Mons. Cuccarollo), Francesco Tinelli (father Paolino), Fernando Masullo (Cardinale Cardinal), Enzo Pisconti (Don Francesco), Eleonora B. Coletta (Franchina), Matthew Lamberti (Tito Schipa young), Simone Ciccarese (shop boy), Antonio Papa (papier-mâché artist from Manzo’s workshop), Umberto De Filippi (papier-mâché artist from Maccagnani’s workshop), Massimo Bonaccorsi (coachman), Iael Giuliani (nun)

Production: Khàrisma with the contribution of MIC – Direzione Generale Cinema e Audiovisivo, Regione Puglia, Unione Europea, POR Puglia FESR-FSE 2014/2020, Apulia Film Commission

Distribution: Khàrisma Distribution

Synopsis

Around the mid-19th century, churches in Lecce were rapidly multiplying. In order to furnish them with valuable statues, the bishop asked for financial assistance from the pope, who decided to use less expensive papier-mâché statues, crafted by skilled local artisans. These “Paper Saints” achieved a resounding success and were sold throughout Italy and even abroad. The huge financial revenue they generated led the archbishop of Otranto, the powerful Monsignor Cuccarollo, to attempt to replace the papier-mâché statues with wooden ones produced in the north by his fellow countrymen. The excuse was a good one: papier-mâché must not enter the house of the Lord. This sparked a fierce conflict with the Salento craftsmen, who appealed to the Duce and Pius XI for their intervention.

Director’s statement

“The style of the documentary film I Santi di Carta is innovative and original as it uses fiction, where there is a story that actors play, to narrate events and situations that actually happened and are documented with archival footage and photos. The audience, however, do not perceive this repertoire as something foreign but, simply, as an element that strengthens the historical truth of the film’s content. This documentary could be defined, borrowing a concept expressed by Francesco Rosi, as a Documented Film, that is, a real “story”, which is all the more appreciated because it is true.”

premiere

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