PALLA DI NEVE

Pedro Armocida and Gabriele Gimmelli

An eclectic and unpredictable director, unconcerned with trends, Maurizio Nichetti is positioned at the intersection of the languages of modernity. His oeuvre encompasses theatre, cinema, television, advertising, as well as teaching and the web. A creator who is perpetually ‘expanding,’ Nichetti is a connoisseur of all the secrets of the ‘cinema machine,’ and a craftsman if need be. He is cultivated, but not necessarily a cinephile; political, but not ideological; always loyal to himself without falling into repetition and clichés.
Five decades on from Ratataplan – which introduced the filmmaker to the international stage after his long apprenticeship under the Italian animation pioneer Bruno Bozzetto – revisiting the adventures of Nichetti in the audio-visual world today reveals not only his profound originality, but also his undeniable theoretical depth. The articles in this volume explore the topical relevance of Nichetti’s prolific work, including his relationship with the tradition of comedy; his affinity for the fantastique rooted in the everyday; his dual role as director and actor; his taste for linguistic hybridisation; his constant attention to technological development and cross-media transformations. At the same time, recollections by friends and collaborators shed light on a work methodology that has consistently prioritised the collective ‘factory’ dimension over the auteur’s demiurgic act.

With a Preface illustrated by Bruno Bozzetto.

Essays, interviews, and recollections by Alberto Anile, Pedro Armocida, Mario Battistoni, Gianni Biondillo, Daniela Brogi, Gianni Canova, Paola Casella, Massimo Causo, Alice Cucchetti, Francesco D’Asero, Fiaba Di Martino, Ernesto Di Sarro, Luca Di Stefano, Mauro Donzelli, Ilaria Feole, Angela Finocchiaro, Gabriele Gimmelli, Elena Gipponi, Marco Giusti, Mariella Lazzarin, Denis Lotti, Anton Giulio Mancino, Rocco Moccagatta, Maurizio Nichetti, Cristiana Paternò, Mariapaola Pierini, Marco Pistoia, Matteo Pollone, Ilaria Ravarino, Marida Rizzuti, Giulio Sangiorgio, Carlo Siliotto, Livia Sisi, Barbara Sorrentini, Leonardo Strano, Giancarlo Zappoli, Paola Zeni, and a thorough history of Nichetti’s work in film, television, theatre, and advertising by Andrea Ciaffaroni.