IL FUOCO GRANDE – THE BIG FIRE, 15min. Italy
Directed by Erika Errante Baruffaldi
During an interview, a man being questioned shows a particular interest in mysterious incorporeal beings that seem to haunt him and make him strangely inefficient. His account is a succession of images attempting to capture and portray the appearance and habits of these beings. The interview frames a video, constructed as a collection of fake found footage, blurred memories, and the man’s fantasies, becoming a testimony of the existence of these beings, which are difficult to remember and describe for anyone who has encountered them.

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Get to know filmmakers Erika Errante Baruffaldi & Musician Il Fuoco Grande

1. What motivated you to make this film?

Erika (director): This project was created in collaboration with the musician and composer “Il Fuoco Grande”. It all started with a suite he composed, which inspired us to create a short film that followsthe musical flow and focuses on this “Fuoco Grande” dimension that characterizes the entire project. Creating a cross-media, hybrid project is one of my goals. I am developing his intention in other forms and with other projects as well… it’s somewhat of an obsession of mine. The theme of psychopomps, which make all our attempts at life inefficient, is very important to me, and having the freedom to explore it in collaboration with Il Fuoco Grande is a unique opportunity.

IFG (Il Fuoco Grande, musician): Il Fuoco Grande is the name of my music and art project, thin which I write, compose, and produce my stuff. I like to think of my music as a series of dying literary suites to be transformed into other artistic forms, as quickly as possible. The short film is one of this possible dress.

In ‘Fuoco Grande’ (my first eponymous suite), I had the urge to talk about the inadequacy of humansin social interactions. The imposition of reality’s paradigmssometimesseemsto make humans inefficient, especially those who move guided by introspective intents. The evolution of these people undergoes abrupt interruptions. Their efforts are continuously thwarted by the manifestation of a dimension of surreal hyperviolence.

The idea was to materialize, absurdly, this perceived dynamic and make this dimension tangible, populated by incorporeal but perceptible beings from this dimension, attracted by the abstractions of human thought and hungry for their energies.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

Erika (director): Working on it intermittently, the production of the short film spanned over the course of a year. Each step required the previous scene to be fully completed, both to facilitate the recycling of set materials for subsequent scenes and to reduce production costs.

IFG (musician): I found in Erika the best lens possible to translate my ideasinto a film. She fully understood my desire to give a body to this fragmented suite and create this environment so unclear and undefined, yetshrouded in charm. The choice to represent these beings with everchanging techniques was a very sensible insight to convey the idea of “impossibility’ of definition. Hinting at and never suggesting a truth to the viewer. The film was made in 2022 with a very limited budget, but even though the production phases were stretched over time, we always preserved the original idea.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Erika (director): dysfunctional relationships

IFG (musician): If only

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Erika (director): certainly the €200 budget. But it was also a deliberate challenge we set for ourselves to force us to think creatively. Obstacles can sometimes be a blessing for those who create.

IFG (musician): Since we didn’t have professional actors, we had to manage everything with friends and our own resources. Although it was indeed a significant limitation, it became a creative opportunity to imagine alternative setups and different narrative symbols.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

Erika (director): I noticed initial skepticism from some people, and that didn’t surprise me at all. But I was pleasantly surprised to see others who truly got it, who understood the artistic intentions and the aim to represent a psychological dimension rather than narrate an event with a beginning, middle, and end. It was truly moving, thank you!

IFG (musician): It’s always constructive and enjoyable for an artist to see people react to what you’ve done; there’s an interesting short circuit in listening to what audience imagines. In this case, I was personally struck by how deeply the concept was explored and theorized. I’ve always thought that a work ceases to be the ‘property’ of the artist the moment it’s puplished and probably from that point on, the audience is the only one with the right to interpret, discern, and misunderstand it.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

Erika (director): Telling stories and exploring inner worlds has always been one of my passions.

I loved cinema and the role of directors in films ever since I was a child. I’ve been writing since elementary school, and as I grew up, I gravitated towards different artistic fields (dance, music, theater). However, the need to use moving images to express myself prevailed, and over time, I channeled everything into directing and writing, and I’ve never stopped.

IFG (musician): I never actually realised it, but I guess it was the only way to give a “physical”support to my music suites. It must also be said that probably my own narrative style, especially for the architecture and fragmentation of micro-stories and characters, is influenced by a certain directing-cinematic vision.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Erika (director): “Possession” by Andrzej Żuławski

IFG (musician): “Hour of the wolf” by Ingmar Bergman

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

Erika (director): You are already doing great work; not everyone offers these opportunities. It would be wonderful to see and understand the entire journey of the selected directors, where they come from, and what their references are, to grasp the true urgency driving them to create their work in a certain style. Small, modest monographs could be helpful in conveying what kind of director you are and what you propose. Nowadays, there is often a focus on individual works. Sometimes, if you produce a piece that is slightly less powerful, people begin to question your entire artistry, forgetting the bigger picture. A small reminder could help people better understand your journey and intentions from a broader perspective.

Also the idea of introducing a small mentorship program would be amazing. Other festivals have implemented it, and I think it’s a great opportunity.

IFG (musician): As a musician and creator of soundtracks and sound design, I hope that more and more festivals will contribute to creating a scene where it’s possible to promote new forms of hybridization between filmmaking and music. Often, a music video isn’t enough to capture the complexity of an experimental music project. At the same time, the traditional narrative short film usually provides limited space for music, either as diegetic or extradiegetic commentary. I’ve noticed that more and more musicians and filmmakers are trying to break out of this dichotomy by proposing experimental shorts where music and storytelling go hand in hand. I hope to see more works like these flourishing, with dedicated platforms. This could also drive the entire audiovisual industry forward. Thank you again for this opportunity, you’re doing an amazing job.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

Erika (director): My experience with Filmfreeway has almost always been excellent; the platform works really well. However, sometimes I’ve noticed that some festivals reject your films without even watching them, which is really unhelpful and unprofessional. But I believe

Filmfreeway is taking measures to address this, which I really appreciate!

IFG (musician): Indeed, there are plenty of festivals to submit your work to, and the most complex aspect is understanding the type of festival to gauge whether your product aligns with their vision. However, I believe it’s a highly valuable platform for connecting producers with festivals.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Erika (director): Easy… Chips!

IFG (musician): I knew that uncomfortable questions would come. Let me see…I’ll have steamed squid with olive oil, lemon, and pepper, please.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

Erika (director): At the moment, I am waiting for the results of some grants to start preproduction on a psychological horror short film. I hope it materializes because if everything goessmoothly, I will be working with a production team and other collaborators whom I highly respect. In the meantime, I am working on writing a crazy animated series, another short film in collaboration with Il Fuoco Grande and I’m delving into the idea for my first feature film. It’s a lot of material, but it’s a necessity and a true urgency for me to continue writing and working on many projects. Given the current times, I believe the real form of resistance for artists is to keep producing and studying as much as possible, even with limited resources, while striving to keep their ideas, messages and creativity intact.

IFG (musician): Despite the challenging international period, which doesn’t seem to offer us any certainties, both politically and humanly, I believe it’s a rather full moment of artistic input and possibilities to channel into something inspiring and accessible. At this very moment I’m trying to write a lot, not exclusively for music. I’m particularly focused on producing other musical suites with some collaborators I care a lot about, which will in turn have other supporting films, and we will always make them with Erika, whose directing vision I deeply admire and trust.