In a village in Northern Italy, the making-of of a TV commercial intertwines with the harvest-time routines of a vineyard. Tensions rise when the Crosta winery shoots an ad to promote its new product, “Vino Arlecchino.”
Mr. Crosta, a meticulous traditionalist and wealthy heir to the estate, clashes with his brother Alfredo — more open-minded and forward-looking — and with the director of the commercial, Samuele.
Alfredo and Samuele join forces to bring into the film themes such as the children of African migrants, the dance steps of Congolese dandies (the sapeurs), and the street dance styles of popping & locking.
Amid chaos and comic mishaps, a modern Harlequin — the Grape Maestro — appears: clumsy, mischievous, yet almost unwittingly able to ease the tensions, leading to a joyful celebration of diversity.
Story
Alla Kovgan, Alberto Danelli, Piera Leonetti
Director of photography
Miko Malkhasyan (DOP); Daniela Bellu (1st Assistant Camera Operator)
Set Design
Dedalus Wainwright (Production Designer)
Costume Design
Jeffrey Wirsing (Costume designer)
Assistant Director
Piera Leonetti
Altri credits
Alberto Danelli (Co-writer)
Oleg Stepanov (Choreographer)
Oleg Stepanov and Fabio Coggiola (Sound Designers); Saba Anglana, Fabio Barovero (Composers).
Ana Flavia Laso Toro (Stunts).
Elisabetta Piantoni (Gaffer).
Igor Sciavolino (Sound Recordist)
Cast and characters
The Harlequin: Ophelia Young Papa Sapeur: Doumbia Siaka Papa Sapeur’s daughters: Divine Witnelle Nguimatsa, Sangala Salimata Kone Mr. Crosta, the winery owner: Roberto Luigi Mauri Alfredo, Mr. Crosta’s brother younger brother: Patrizio Ratto Samuele, TV commercial director: Samuele Barbetta Radio Repairman: Oleg Stepanov Male Worker: Amara Berete Female Worker: Ginevra Cecere
CORO A.N.A. VALLEBELBO and Orietta Lanero (conductor)
Producer
Alla Kovgan,
Enrica Viola, Derrick Tseng, Alberto Danelli, Piera Leonetti (Producers) Lucia Carolina De Rienzo (Co-Producer) Elizabeth Delude-Dix (Executive Producer, US)
Production
Chance Operations LLC (New York, US),
Una Film (Turin, Italy)
with the support of Film Commission Torino Piemonte, MiC – General Directorate for Live Performance, Piedmont Region, CRT Foundation, Piemonte dal Vivo Foundation, Jamestown Arts Center, Clara Wainwright; in association with Coorpi @coorpi (Turin, Italy), Docworks (USA) and Terre Da Film @terredafilmfestival (Canelli, Italy); with funding provided by Otto per Mille of the Waldensian Church and Fund for the Development of Investments in Cinema and Audiovisual and in collaboration with Lavanderia a Vapore – Dance Residence Center (Collegno, TO).
Assistente alla regia
Una Film
