IL NEMICO
by Andrej Chinappi

17min | Italy | 2025

During a mountain trip, a group of children spends the afternoon playing war.
When a local child asks to join them, he is given the role
​of the "enemy." This seemingly innocent choice will lead to unexpected consequences.

International Title The Enemy
​Year of production 2025
Length 17'
Country Italy
Shooting Format 2k
Aspect Ratio 4:3
Dialogue Italian

Director Andrej Chinappi
Production Companies Withstand Srl, Mosaicon film Srl
Producers Davide Ferazza, Andrea Leone, Andrej Chinappi
Executive Producer Maddalena Crespi
Writers Andrej Chinappi, Carlotta Maria Correra
Director of Photography Gianluca Palma
Editors Christian Marsiglia, Noemi Obinu
Color Correction Alessio Zanardi
Sound Designer & Mix Matteo Milani
Sound Leonardo Forte
Music Piernicola Di Muro
Costumes Agustina Gadea
Make-up Chiara Maggiacomo
Assistant Director Dewisinta Nogi
Cast Nicolò Francesco Masella, Andrea Natale, Demetra Maria Petrone, Matteo Parisi, Brian Parisi, David Parisi

Festival selections
Warsaw International Film Festival 2025, Poland - World Premiere
Visioni Italiane 2025, Italy
Busan International Short Film Festival 2026, South Korea - Excellence Award
Felice Film Festival 2026, Italy
​FILMAY Short Film Festival Kumanovo 2026, North Macedonia - Best Cinematography Award (Gianluca Palma)
Genoa International Film Festival 2026, Italy - Best Italian Short Film Award
​Olhar de Cinema – Curitiba International Film Festival 2026, Brazil
Mediterranean Film Festival Split 2026, Croatia
​​Andaras - Traveling Film Festival 2026, Italy
​​​Festival Internazionale Inventa un Film 2026, Italy
Umbria Film Festival 2026, Italy​
​​Lucania Film Festival 2026, Italy - POP Jury Award
​​Curta Kinoforum - São Paulo International Short Film Festival 2026, Brazil
​​BUZZ International Film Festival 2026, Romania
​Seoul International Children's Film Festival 2026, South Korea
PriFest - Prishtina International Film Festival 2026, Kosovo
​Close-Up International Film Festival 2026, Canada - Best International Short Film Award
​​Sentiero Film Factory 2026, Italy - Best Cinematography Award (Gianluca Palma) and Best Original Score Award (Piernicola Di Muro)
​Jagran Film Festival 2026, India
​Adelaide Film Festival 2026, Australia
​​FILMETS Badalona Film Festival 2026, Spain
​
Director's Statement
"The Enemy" is a story born from a reflection on the wars that have touched us most closely in recent years, on the ubiquity of the idea of "the enemy to be defeated," and on the recurrence of war in general. Reflecting on this, I thought of how often, as children, we would stage battles with friends and, despite the playful setting, the desire to win would sometimes put someone's safety at risk.
For this reason, I wanted to set "The Enemy" in a place dear to me, Mount Altino in Formia, where I spent many afternoons pretending to be a soldier, trying to conquer that mountain. Reflecting on one afternoon in particular, various and conflicting feelings emerged: the desire to be like the others, humiliation, vainglory, fear and guilt, and finally, resentment. And I believe they are all feelings that, just like for children, are always inside the hearts of men.