Farelavita

Farelavita, in a way a sequel to Rosatigre that was shown last year in Rotterdam, was shot in a way characteristic of De Bernardi and using improvisations at existing locations. Very dramatised or literary facts are confronted with a documentary reality. In this film, the reality is largely the nightlife in the streets of Turin. This is the backdrop for the life of Antonello (played by cowriter Filippo Timi), a young Neapolitan who has moved to Turin and works there as a transvestite prostitute under the name of Rosatigre. His best friend is Wanda (played by the daughter of the filmmaker, Giulietta De Bernardi). She also works as a prostitute and represents the female alter ego of Antonello. Roaming the dark streets, they exchange secrets. Wanda for instance yearns for a romantic relationship she once had with an American and Antonello dreams of a career as singer.De Bernardi himself regards his film as a cinematographic novel: the story of one, two or more lives trying to survive in the everyday battle against the hardships of the lowest form of prostitution. The film aims to be an unique report of the initiation of today’s 25yearold into life. An investigation of the principle of the individual sexual identity, both male and female.