From Netflix to Valletta: Horror Screenwriter Takes the Stage

As part of this year’s Week of the Italian Language in the World, held under the theme “Italophony: Language Beyond Borders”, the Embassy of Italy in Malta, the Italian Cultural Institute in Valletta, the Department of Italian and the M.A. in Film Studies at the University of Malta’s Faculty of Arts are pleased to present a special conversation with renowned novelist and screenwriter 𝗟𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗼 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗮, who has been living in Strasbourg for several years.

The discussion will focus in particular on a Netflix film co-written by Besana, 𝘈 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘏𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, directed by Roberto De Feo and Paolo Strippoli. The film’s immediate success upon its release in July 2021 demonstrates that, although production and distribution contexts have changed radically, Italian genre cinema – and horror above all – is still capable of attracting international interest, crossing national borders much as the productions of Cinecittà once did. Significantly, 𝘈 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘏𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 was also named by 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 as one of the top five horror films to stream.

The plot follows five people travelling by camper through the Calabrian countryside who crash into a tree. When they regain consciousness, the road has vanished, replaced by an impenetrable forest and a wooden house in which strange and grisly rituals take place. On its release, 𝘈 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘏𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 drew widespread attention for its blend of folk horror and meta-cinematic references.

The film represents a deliberate challenge to the still common assumption that Italians and Italian culture are incapable of producing effective and credible horror narratives. At the same time, in an era when so-called folk horror had already become a fashionable trend, the film cleverly employs its traditional conventions only to overturn them with a twist, prompting reflection on the society of spectacle and its potential lack of limits. The conversation will explore the scriptwriting process, the complexities of film production, the dynamics of both the Italian and international film industries, as well as self-reflexivity and contemporary storytelling. The event will be held in both Italian and English and will include a Q&A session with the audience.

The general public is warmly invited to attend.

Image: © Colorado Film/ Netflix/ Rainbow S.p.A.