Made in Italy

MMF MMXXIV: MADE IN ITALY

Image: Dall-e 3

The Milan Machinima Festival MMXXIV is proud to showcase the 2024 edition of Made in Italy, a curated screening of machinima created by emerging Italian artists. On Friday, March 15, three films will be screened in the Sala dei 146, with introductions by the artists themselves.

Made in Italy

March 15 2024, 14:00 - 15:00

Sala dei 146

IULM 6, IULM University

Via Carlo Bo 7, 20143 Milano

curated by Matteo Bittanti

Artists and filmmakers: Alberto Calleo, Simone Fiorentino, Elia “marasma” Strazzacappa.

The Italian machinima community is a vibrant, eclectic and experimental hub that thrives on collaboration and innovation, pushing the boundaries of creative expression through real-time computer graphics engines. These artists, often hailing from art and film schools, are not only redefining the intersection of virtual and physical realms but also addressing critical contemporary issues such as technological advancements and their societal impact.

Through their work, Italian machinima artists embark on explorations across a spectrum of themes, reflecting the multifaceted nature of modern society and the intricate dance between technology, art, and human experience. Their creations delve into the digital age’s influence on identity and self-expression, provide commentary on social and political dilemmas, blur the lines between reality and fiction, and ponder the implications of relentless technological integration into our lives. Additionally, they celebrate Italy’s rich cultural legacy by weaving traditional elements into digital narratives and experiment with the digital medium’s inherent visual properties, such as glitches and pixelation, to make unique artistic statements.

This year, the festival’s Made in Italy program honors the creativity and craftsmanship of three Italian machinima filmmakers, highlighting their diverse styles and thematic explorations:

Simone Fiorentino’s Hold On for Dear Life captures the essence of human resilience and connection in a war-afflicted city, offering a profound commentary on survival and solidarity amidst chaos.

Alberto Calleo’s The Desert of the Real, utilizing the Unreal Engine, reflects on the simulacrum concept, navigating the evolving dynamics between humans and technology, and the blending of physical and virtual experiences.

Elia “marasma” Strazzacappa’s Uncanny’s Dream presents a haunting reinterpretation of a Fabrizio De André’s song through the digital landscapes of Half-Life 2 and Garry’s Mod, exploring themes of nostalgia, alienation, and the digital footprint on the consciousness of younger generations.

Together, these works exemplify the innovative spirit and rich thematic depth of the Italian machinima scene, spotlighting the unique contributions of young Italian artists to the ongoing discourse on art, technology, and society in the age of video games and artificial intelligence.

Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

MMF MMXXIV: ELIA STRAZZACAPPA

We are excited to share that Elia “marasma” Strazzacappa’s Uncanny’s Dream will be featured in the Made in Italy program at the upcoming Milan Machinima Festival.

Uncanny’s dream is a deliberately glitchy, unhinged reinterpretation of Fabrizio De Andrè’s song Il sogno di Maria. This innovative project breathes new life into the song through the haunting liminal spaces of Half-Life 2, utilizing Garry’s Mod for an immersive experience. This poetic work captures a deep sense of solitude and the existential boundaries familiar to those who have navigated the Source engine’s realms. De André’s lyrics and melody undergo a transformative process, infused with electronic elements and altered vocals, evoking a stark sense of desolation and dehumanization characteristic of synthetic environments. These spaces, simultaneously familiar and alien, embody the project’s exploration of nostalgia and the uncanny, the dominant mood of the 21c. Uncanny’s dream speaks to the early digital explorations of Millennials and Generation Z, invoking a powerful blend of virtual proximity and real alienation, a visceral and intimate experience that has indelibly shaped their cultural and aesthetics perceptions.

Elia “marasma” Strazzacappa is a multifaceted intermedial artist from Italy engaging with a variety of media, including painting, video production, photography, music composition, sculpture, graphic design, 3D modeling, literary work, and tattoo artistry. His work gracefully traverses the boundary between the analog and digital worlds, showcasing a fluid and critical approach to addressing the intricate challenges posed by late-capitalist culture. Strazzacappa is currently enrolled in the New Art Technologies at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan and plays a pivotal role in the dynamic project space @spazioxenia, located in the heart of the city. This collaborative platform acts as a fertile ground for his creative pursuits, with a keen emphasis on painting and the continuous evolution of his personal investigative journey. A distinctive hallmark of Strazzacappa’s artistic philosophy is his exploration of the “anti-product” approach, challenging traditional ideas surrounding the creation and consumption of art, underlining his deep-seated interest in examining and questioning the significance and influence of art within the fabric of modern society.


Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

MMF MMXXIV: ALBERTO CALLEO

We are delighted to announce the inclusion of Alberto Calleo’s The Desert of the Real in the Made in Italy program at the forthcoming Milan Machinima Festival.

Created with the Unreal Engine, Alberto Calleo’s The Desert of the Real is an engaging machinima that explores the concept of simulacrum, inspired by French philosopher Jean Baudrillard’s influential book, Simulacra and Simulation (1981). Calleo insightfully navigates Baudrillard’s forward-looking criticism on how reality merges with media, probing the significant effects this fusion has on the very nature of reality. Through the prism of technology, with a specific focus on video game technology, Calleo examines the changing relationship between humans and machines, as well as between the tangible and the virtual realms. He positions video gaming as a crucial form of expression in the realm of contemporary technoculture, highlighting its role in shaping and reflecting our understanding of these complex interactions.

Alberto Calleo works at the intersection of digital media and architectural design, currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Bologna’s Department of Architecture. His research ambitiously spans the convergence of digital media practices and design cultures, with a keen focus on speculative design and forward-thinking through video games and interactive media. Calleo is deeply engaged in the creative applications of 3D modeling, photogrammetry, aero-photogrammetry, and laser scanning. His commitment to advancing the field is evident in his participation in applied research projects alongside various national companies, where he continues to push the boundaries of digital media and design.

Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

MMF MMXXIV: SIMONE FIORENTINO


We are excited to present Simone Fiorentino’s Hold on for Dear Life at the 2024 edition of the Milan Machinima Festival.

Featured in the Made in Italy program on March 15, 2024, Hold On for Dear Life by Simone Fiorentino delves into themes of empathy and the innate human ability to connect even under the most challenging conditions. Set within the confines of an unnamed city scarred by conflict, this machinima compellingly illustrates the resilience required to maintain one’s core identity amidst turmoil. The story unfolds around a young man, his loyal dog, and his unique friend Jean-Michel, notable for his absence of a nose, as they endeavor to maintain a semblance of normalcy in their chaotic environment. Fiorentino’s film is dedicated to offering an authentic depiction of life in war-impacted zones, focusing on both the individual and communal adversities encountered by those living there. Through an intimate narration, the filmmaker seeks to bridge the gap between the audience and the stark realities of warfare, shedding light on its profound effects on personal lives and community bonds. The choice of a 4:3 aspect ratio does more than pay homage to classical visual styles; it intentionally magnifies the deeply personal survival tales and the critical support networks that prove indispensable during these trying times.

Created under the supervision and tutorship of Andrea Gatopolous, Ismaël Joffroy Chandoutis, Leonhardt Muellner and Robin Klengel during a residency in Rome in 2023, Simone Fiorentino’s Hold On for Dear Life has received widespread acclaim, evidenced by its recognition and selection at renowned film festivals across the globe. The film was shortlisted for the 62nd Semaine de la Critique at the Festival de Cannes, a testament to its international acclaim. It made its world premiere at the 46th Drama International Short Film Festival in Greece, marking the beginning of its journey through the global film circuit. Hold On for Dear Life met the qualifications for both the Academy Awards and the European Film Awards, with notable screenings at the 39th Interfilm Berlin in Germany and the 39th Videoformes International Festival in Clermont-Ferrand, France. Its Russian premiere took place at the 33rd Message To Men Festival in Saint Petersburg, followed by its German premiere at the 29th Filmfest Schleswig-Holstein in Kiel, Germany, underscoring its resonance in various cultural settings.The film was also an official selection at the 10th Linoleum Animation Festival in Kyiv, Ukraine, further highlighting its broad appeal. Its screening at the Milan Machinima Festival signifies the film’s Italian premiere.

Born in Palermo, Italy in 1995, Simone Fiorentino is a Sicilian screenwriter, film director and music composer. In addition to Hold on for Dear Life, he wrote, directed and composed two additional short films, I saw our future in an orb, 2021, Together, 2018. He also recorded one music album, with the art name silly blu.

Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

MMF MMXXIII UPDATE: A CHAT WITH MANUEL GHIDINI

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE CONTENT

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PATREON-EXCLUSIVE CONTENT 〰️

The Milan Machinima Festival is happy to present Manuel Ghidini’s OccupyCAD, which appropriates and recontextualizes the protagonist from the Occupy Mars video game to suggest alternative possibilities for space exploration and to think about the very notion of “space”. Featured in the Made in Italy program, Ghidini's work will be available between March 19-26 2023 exclusively on the MMF website.

Manuel Ghidini was born in Gardone Val Trompia, an industrial stronghold in Northern Italy, in 1997. Ghidini’s upbringing in the City-workshop of Lumezzane heavily influenced his artistic practice. After completing his studies in Brescia, Ghidini moved to Milan to attend Brera Academy of Fine Arts, where he began to interrogate the perceptive questions of reality. Ghidini’s work investigates epistemology through the visual arts. He currently lives and works in Lumezzane.

In the following interview, Ghidini discusses the main inspirations behind his new artwork:

Matteo Bittanti: How does the artwork’s (re)use of a video game character challenge conventional notions of the representation of space in art, and how does this recontextualization of the character invite viewers to engage with space in novel, different ways?

Manuel Ghidini: The use of a video game and its resources, such as characters and settings, allows one to operate within the original imagery in a subversive way. Video games are an increasingly popular medium, especially among younger people, including my own generation. Video games, like music and film, have always been a great medium for information and propaganda. The appropriation and the reuse of video games and their assets make it possible to move into this sphere. Considering the games’ economic success - they overtook both the film and music industry a while ago -, they are becoming increasingly relevant and decisive in the dissemination of ideas and values in the cultural landscape. They too, like other media, construct narratives and representations of the self and of the Other.

An integral part of our cultural context, video games consciously or unconsciously reproduce the logics that underlie the capitalist exploitation of resources, often constructing the game in a competitive environment based on scores and unequivocal outcomes (note 1). This is not a necessary requirement by any means, but it seems to me that most if not all mainstream games tend to be based on these characteristics. Without competition or difficulty, video games are perceived as boring, thus “failed”.

Therefore, the reuse of game resources allows for the reshaping of their narratives, for a reimagining of their ideology, for a process of deconstruction of their imagery. Such a process allows for a focus on additional issues, giving the work more nuances and layers of meaning. It also stimulates additional interpretive senses.

I see OccupyCAD as an attempt to resurface that discarded but somehow always-already-present element of the original Occupy Mars video game. I refer to the discarded concerning the implications of what the act of Martian colonization, of occupying new spaces, new worlds, new means. Ignoring current global issues, from climate crises to social crises – not addressing the issue of climate change, except by making it the validating justification for abandoning Earth for a new world within a logic of sheer disposability. Considering the large number of young gamers, we can imagine the influence of these kinds of messages. I’m referring to young people who may or may not complete the mission to conquer Mars. Their will, like ours, is decisive. The use of game resources – of the main character in particular – gave me the chance to remove the cosmetics, the facade of the game and to focus instead on the main issue, the perennial race for survival, with its consequences. Working on the discarded, understood as the recovery of an issue, is of primary importance, and has not been addressed properly. I’m attempting to focus on the real problem we face as a species, by deconstructing the narrative.

Beginning with the operation accomplished with OccupyCAD, the reconsideration of aspects and reflections regarding the game, not foreseen in the original, can also arise in the spectator. I was, therefore, attempting to stimulate critical thinking about the existent in innovative ways, even with respect to machinima itself. The reuse of video game elements, thus, becomes a reactivation, a purposeful response and an act of reappropriation. A refocusing on something deliberately ignored by the original video game. An opportunity for reuse, reinterpretation of the video game. An exercise and a call to reimagine the cultural resources contained in a video game (as elsewhere) by reshaping them and being able to subvert them. The gesture of reappropriating and activating in reconstruction, acting and reacting in the cultural space of co-narrative.

Matteo Bittanti: How does OccupyCAD explore the tension between freedom and constraint, and how does the astronaut’s relentless movement within the confined space of the 3D graphics software relate to broader societal issues surrounding control, surveillance, and agency?

(continues)

Matteo Bittanti

Work cited

Manuel Ghidini

OccupyCAD

digital video/machinima, color, sound, 5’ 29”, 2022, Italy

This is a Patreon exclusive article. To access the full content consider joining our Patreon community.

MMF MMXXIII UPDATE: A CHAT WITH LUCA GIACOMELLI

PATREON-EXCLUSIVE CONTENT

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PATREON-EXCLUSIVE CONTENT 〰️

The Milan Machinima Festival is delighted to present Luca Giacomelli’s, A Report for Humanity which adapts Kafka’s tale “A Report for an Academy”, using selected voiceovers to accompany imagery recorded from various video games such as Red Dead Redemption 2, GTA V, Space Explorer, Battlefield V, and FIFA 23. Featured in the Made in Italy program, Giacomelli's work will be available between March 19-26 2023 exclusively on the MMF website.

Luca Giacomelli was born in 1995 and he is currently enrolled in the New Technologies of Art Program at the Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara, Italy. His main interests are cinema, photography, and video art. He directed several shorts, including Dogs (2019, with Matteo Marchi), which was influenced by Werner Herzog, Andrei Tarkovskij, and Godfrey Reggio. His work What is Happening in Our City? was presented at the Milan Machinima Festival in 2020. Giacomelli lives and works in Carrara.

In the following interview, Giacomelli discusses the main inspirations behind his new artwork:

Matteo Bittanti: What inspired you to use Franz Kafka’s “A Report for an Academy” as a reference point for your latest machinima, and what drew you to the themes and messages of the story?

Luca Giacomelli: I have always been fascinated by poems and fiction — especially short stories — that succeed in describing, in a direct, raw, visceral and at the same time lucid and prophetic, the state and soul of humanity, both universally and individually. Examples includes Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Silence,” Guy de Maupassant’s “The Horla,” and several short stories by Kafka. Literature in general is what inspires me the most. Specifically, “A Report for an Academy” inspired me mainly because of the point of view in which one is forced to look, in an absolutely objective, realistic way, at the habits of human beings. Kafka chooses a monkey as an “empty vessel” to be filled with human customs and habits and as an impartial figure through whom he describes us, but it can also be seen as a point of view of an infant forced to live and deal with the so-called civilization in which he has to find a role and a task; of course “imitating” what is in front of him. And what does the narrator of Kafka’s story do but try to survive, adapting to his new environment? Through evolution into “civilized” man we have left behind the freedom of nature for the cage that is modern civilization, where our best chance of camouflage and survival comes from creating a kind of performance. All the monkey’s actions after his capture constitute a performance, but it is a performance that gradually becomes more conscious. What used to be instinctive has now turned into rational decision-making, and “performing” has changed from something it does to blend in to something it does to live.

Matteo Bittanti: How did you select the specific video games used in the artwork, and what factors did you consider as representative of “human habits, moments, and vicissitudes”? How does the use of video games as a medium highlight these themes and make them more accessible to a contemporary audience? How does the use of machinima and video games in this artwork challenge traditional artistic mediums and add a unique layer of meaning to Kafka’s story? What was the thought process behind choosing these particular games and how do they contribute to the artwork’s overall message? 

(continues)

Matteo Bittanti

Work cited

Luca Giacomelli

A Report for Humanity

digital video/machinima, color, sound, 4’ 27”, 2022, Italy

This is a Patreon exclusive article. To access the full content consider joining our Patreon community.