Millions of people have seen the films of Paolo Sorrentino.
But, for the Italian filmmaker, the most important verdict is only one: his.
"I am the only viewer of my films that matters to me," replies the creator, when asked about some critics who, in the past, suggested that he did not fully know the subjects on which his works were filmed.
Of course, in the case of his latest feature film, the exact opposite happens: in
It Was the Hand of God,
which can be seen on Netflix, Sorrentino has filmed his own childhood.
The protagonist is called Fabio Schisa, the other names are also different from reality, and part of the script comes directly from the director's fantasy.
But the film, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the last Venice Film Festival, evokes the key events that changed Sorrentino's youth and pushed him to leave Naples, his hometown, to move to Rome and try to be a film director.
For many critics, the film has meant a change in the style of the creator and he himself recognizes it in this video interview, where he also talks about his return to Naples and his career.
Or, rather, how little he cares.