CARO MOSTRO / Dear Monster
Written and directed by Stefano P. Testa
Short-Experimental-Documentary, Italy, 2023, 16′
Cinematography: Stefano P. Testa
Editing: Stefano P. Testa
Sound Design: Nicola Gualandris
Producer: Andrea Zanoli
Production / Distribution: Lab 80 film
With: Alice Guarente, Romina Alfieri, Gabriele Penner, Stefano P. Spampatti
Synopsis
In 1965, Elio is eighteen years old and he attends the San Carlo College in Turin. He has been pushed away from home by his father because of his undisciplined behavior. During that year, he receives some letters from his parents, his friend Nino, and his lover, Raffaella. These letters sketch out the story of a restless and rebellious young boy living through teenage crisis and the first responsibilities of adulthood. Dear Monster is a collage of overlapping words, images, sounds that recall a long gone past, brought back to light through a grim finding.
Screenings
Sheffield DOC Fest / Sheffield, UK, 2023 / World Premiere
Asolo Art Film Festival / Asolo, Italy, 2023 / Italian Premiere
Cinema del Reale / Corigliano d’Otranto, Italy, 2023 / Best Short Award
Faito Doc Fest / Monte Faito, Italy, 2023 / Jury Special Mention
Ceprano FIlm Festival / Ceprano, Italy, 2023
Garofano Rosso Film Festival / Forme di Massa d’Albe, Italy, 2023 / Best Short Award
Family Film Project / Porto, Portugal, 2023
PERSO Perugia Social Film Festival / Perugia, Italy, 2023 / Jury Special Mention
The Unprecedented Cinema / Tallinn, Estonia, 2023
Revolutions Per Minutes Festival / Harvard University, Boston, MA, 2023
FLIGHT Mostra del Cinema di Genova / Genova, Italy, 2023 / Jury Special Mention, Best Short Critic Award
Rome International Documentary Festival / Rome, Italy, 2023
FrontDoc / Aosta, Italy, 2023
Documentaria / Noto, Italy, 2023
MAGMA Mostra di Cinema Breve / Acireale, Italy, 2023
Visioni Italiane / Bologna, Italy, 2023 / Jury Special Mention
CinemaZERO / Trento, Italy, 2023
Experimental Video Screening Festival in Macao / Macau, China, 2023
Beijing International Short Film Festival / Beijing, China, 2023
Molo Film Festival / Rome, Italy, 2023 / Best Short Award
Rifrazioni – Cineforma Collective / Rome, Italy, 2024
Short of the Year / Madrid, Spain, 2024 / Best Experimental Short Award
Mediteran Film Festival / Široki Brijeg, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2024
Festival del Cinema Europeo / Lecce, Italy, 2024
Girona International Film Festival / Girona, Spain, 2024
Festival de Cine Internacional Villa de Leyva / Villa de Leyva, Colombia, 2024
Re-framing Home Movies – Home Movie Days / Online, 2024
Bloom Room / Mantova, Italy, 2025
Reviews
● Cinemaitaliano.info
● Quinlan.it
● Cineclandestino.it
