C'ERA UNA VOLTA RUGANTINO
(ONCE UPON A TIME RUGANTINO)
(ONCE UPON A TIME RUGANTINO)
"C'era una volta Rugantino" has been, is, and will remain a story within a story, a collection of wonderful and indelible memories.
Director: Roberto Innocenzi - Story: Marco Nica - Screenplay: Marco Nica and Roberto Innocenzi - Main actors: Marco Nica and Silvia Cippitelli
A few days after the theatrical debut of the musical "C'era una volta Rugantino", which took place on July 22, 2006, Marco Nica was planning to schedule some more performances of the show when he received a phone call from director Roberto Innocenzi. Enthusiastic about the idea of continuing Rugantino, Innocenzi proposed adapting the script to create a feature film: that work would soon become a movie! In a few weeks, the script was expanded and the cast grew to fifty-five actors, all non-professionals selected from various theater companies in the Anzio and Nettuno area. The most significant human aspect of this cinematic adventure was undoubtedly the spirit of collaboration, esteem, and mutual respect that emerged despite envy, competition, and the desire to prevail over others.
The shooting started on November 19, 2006 with just one video camera and a few accessories. It is very important to underline that the technical equipment available was really minimal, limiting the director's choices. Paradoxically, however, this handicap ended up adding value to the final product, because being able to complete a project in such a complex era with few resources and almost at zero cost (financed by Cames - Stefano Capomaggi) was truly extraordinary, an achievement that would have discouraged anyone. The last "cut" was filmed five months later, exactly on April 21, 2007. Considering only two shoots per week, the Christmas break, and a few small unexpected events, it took just 34 actual days.
Without a doubt, the scenes filmed at night in Rome at the Teatro Marcello and on the Ponte Fabricio, near the Tiber Island, were the most evocative. To recreate the typical Trastevere atmosphere, however, the tumultuous heart of the capital was a priori discarded, choosing instead the small and ancient town of Cori (LT), perfect from every point of view. The majority of the film indeed captures squares, houses, alleys, monuments, and countryside of a place that soon became like a second home. Anzio and Nettuno were also chosen as locations by the production, especially for those interiors that required specific needs. Needing antique furniture, some scenes were filmed directly inside an antique shop, achieving the maximum result with minimal effort. During the editing phase, it was realized the masterful work done by Alberto Ruggeri, the author of extraordinary music. In his case, more than a musician, we are facing a real orchestra, because he not only wrote the pieces but also recorded them playing each instrument! The soundtrack immediately catches the ear and you find yourself whistling it just a few minutes later.
On September 22, 2007, the Cinema Teatro Europa in Aprilia (LT) was ready to host the highly anticipated preview of the feature film, a much longer version than the final 107 minutes. For several weeks, newspapers had given ample space to the event, arousing widespread curiosity. The large audience welcomed over eight hundred people, leaving out of the venue those who had not managed to obtain the printed invitation for the occasion. Between the musical of the previous year and the film screening, on just two occasions, that little fairy tale had attracted the interest of over 1,300 people. In the first months of the following year, since the film lacked distribution, a series of screenings were organized between Aprilia and Rome to verify the quality of the product, always receiving favorable reviews from both the general audience and industry professionals. Even the personnel responsible for the censorship approval from the Ministry of Cultural Heritage were positively impressed by the work. It must be admitted that it is still quite impressive to see "C'era una volta Rugantino" listed among illustrious films in the ANICA catalog of Italian film production in 2008.
But the surprises were not destined to end there. On Christmas Day of the same year, the film was broadcast in prime time on the satellite channel Romauno (at the time exclusively via satellite), making its debut on the small screen and, at the same time, reaching the homes of Italians scattered throughout Europe. Two replays followed, accompanied by excellent feedback, increasing the popularity of a film that continued, over time, to provide indescribable emotions. 2009 was the year of definitive consecration, where the furthest point of an exciting journey was reached, the maximum limit beyond which it would have been impossible to go. On May 29th, Marco Nica and Silvia Cippitelli were guests on the RaiTre television show "Cominciamo Bene Prima" hosted by Pino Strabioli. In that Rai studio, on behalf of everyone, a milestone was reached that was not even remotely imaginable, that of attracting national attention. On the evening of September 11, 2010, there was a screening in the Piazza di S.Oliva in Cori, as a deserved thank you to the city that had most supported the cause, giving those present the emotion of recognizing their places that had been extensively captured in the sequence of images.
C'era una volta Rugantino - Il film completo
C'era una volta Rugantino - L'intervista a Rai Tre