Federico is on holiday with his father and brother in a summer residence in Sardinia. Their father, Aurelio, is a severe and overtly masculine man who makes Federico feel anxious and inadequate. When a wealthy German family invites them to dinner, Federico discovers he is not so different from his father.
International Title Shooting Watermelons Year of production 2023 Length 20' CountryUK/Italy Shooting FormatProRes 4:3 2.8K: 2880 x 2160, 24fps Aspect Ratio 1.25:1 Dialogue English, Italian Director Antonio Donato Producer Patrick James Verlin Co-Producers Lorenzo Chierici, Anita Contini, Claudia Emily Pau Executive Producer Olivia Serafini-Sauli Production Company Courageous Donuts, London Film School, Via 73 Films, Eclettica, Hyperion Screenwriters Antonio Donato, Paolo Carbone CinematographerSahil Kotwani Production Designer Anastasiya Mykhaylova Editors Iacopo Calabrese, Antonio Donato Assistant Director Federico Fasulo Sound Recordist Davide Hare Music Composer Tristan Clarke Costume Designer & Assistant Makeup Giulia Vismara Sound Designer Alessio Festuccia Cast Luigi Di Fiore, Luca Lacerenza, Sebastian Balzarolo, Alessandra Sarno
Director's Statement I grew up in a culture where men must prove to be good at something, to be better than others, and always to be 'strong'. The myth of success, virility and invulnerability have been imposed from one generation to the next. This film is for all the men who felt good for nothing. For the men who felt less than others, just because they were unable or unwilling to dominate. Men who feel punished or judged when they reveal their vulnerability. But patriarchy crushes us only if we are alone. Sparare alle Angurie is a quirky film that ironises male emotional repression. The broken relationship between a father and his sons becomes an opportunity to intimately reflect on the absurdities of the patriarchy and explore the environment of 'performance culture' where appearance is paramount.