On Monday, March 16, an event screening of Polvo Serán took place at the Filmclub Bozen, attended by director Carlos Marques-Marcet and producer Giovanni Pompili.
Three Questions for Director Carlos Marques-Marcet
In Polvo Serán, the protagonists travel to Switzerland for their final journey together, yet parts of the film were shot in South Tyrol. What was the search for locations in South Tyrol like?
I was looking for a specific place in the Alps where you can really experience the mountains, and where the atmosphere reflects a situation that seems suspended between heaven and earth – fitting for the film's theme. We found this situation in South Tyrol, a very special mountain landscape, transitioning to autumn, with the partially snow-covered fields.
Your film is a bold mix of dramatic comedy and musical that deals with a very serious subject. Did you feel that the funding from IDM was an encouragement to realize this unusual artistic vision, even if far from mainstream conventions?
It was a challenge to work with these stylistic devices; music and dance are very present in the film. They help to convey the specific expression of feelings that the film wants to communicate. Without the support from IDM, this challenge would not have been manageable.
In international co-productions like this one, teams from different countries often come together. How did you experience the collaboration with the South Tyrolean filmmakers and service providers on site – were there specific moments where their expertise was crucial for the production?
What was special about the team – and especially the local components – is the multilingualism and the different cultural influences. This is similar to my home in Catalonia, where different influences also meet. I felt very comfortable with the people's enthusiasm on the one hand and the precision in their working methods on the other. This contributed greatly to the success of the project.
Three Questions for Producer Giovanni Pompili
With funding support in production, IDM is an important partner for this project. How crucial was this support in successfully setting up the complex structure of this three-country co-production (Italy, Spain, Switzerland)?
With a total budget of 3 million euros, IDM's contribution was very important, as were the supports from Italian state funding, Swiss funding, and funding at the European level. Film production follows the European spirit of joint cooperation and an overarching, transversal cinematic identity with participants from different linguistic and cultural areas. This characterizes other productions of ours as well.
South Tyrol places great value on sustainable production (Green Shooting). How well could these standards be implemented during filming in the region, and what role did local support from IDM play in this?
Sustainable production is a major concern of mine; I also curate a workshop at the Torino Film Lab that deals with the topic of sustainability. In this specific case, we tried to take this into account in many areas, to name just a few examples: for energy supply, batteries were used that were partially fed by solar panels instead of using generators; there was a dedicated person responsible for "Green Management"; for transport, accommodation, or catering, we relied on the 0-kilometer principle as much as possible; moreover, we worked with local professionals wherever possible.
You decided to shoot parts of the film in South Tyrol, even though the plot is set in Switzerland. What tipped the scales for South Tyrol – was it, besides the funding, also the scenic similarities or the existing infrastructure?
The funding was a plus, but not decisive. What was important was the atmosphere of the mountain landscape, which gives the film a special stylistic element. Likewise, in South Tyrol, one can rely on local, competent professionals, which is very helpful for a professional production. I have been active in film in South Tyrol since 2017 and have experienced a strong growth of professionalization here in recent years. All of this contributes to making South Tyrol an interesting film location.
About the Film
Claire and Chalo share a lifelong, unbreakable bond, but when Claire discovers she has cancer, she reminds Chalo of their old pact: she wants to die on her own terms when she decides to do so. Chalo remembers that the pact went even further: if one goes, the other follows. So, they decided to end their lives together in Switzerland with the help of an assisted dying organization. When Claire loses her legs due to her illness, she informs her daughter, Morgana, of the decision. When Morgana accidentally learns that Chalo also intends to die, she reports the plan to the family, triggering the most varied reactions. The next day, Chalo, Claire, and Morgana drive to Switzerland and meet Inger, the organization's volunteer helper. In her final days, Claire fluctuates between vitality and fragility as she tries to find the strength to face what is about to happen.