"Why did I come? Because in 54 years of cinematic activity it is the first time that a political demonstration invites me to find out what I think. It has never happened before, and yes, we have had many ministers in 54 years".
Thus begins the long story of Maestro Pupi Avati, greeted by a standing audience at the party for the tenth anniversary of Fratelli d'Italia, taking place in Rome.
"Here I really think I'm the oldest. No one is over 84, right? - he asks - Well, in recent years I've seen many things and governments change. And I've always heard the word 'culture' used in a very generic. At least 70% of the films that are made, however, are not culture, but commerce, the market, resignation to fashions. We can say that in the last twenty years Italian cinema has only produced 'nice' films", he continues, recalling how he arrived at the cinema "late and by chance".
"I wanted to become a great jazz player, but in my band as second clarinet at a certain point a certain Lucio, Lucio Dalla arrived - he says - And when I communicated to others that I would stop, no one held me back. That was how I faced life. Today that I'm nearing the end credits, I know what it is. I went to sell Findus sticks, I became the champion of Italy.
Then, incidentally, I entered a cinemetto and saw 8 1/2 by Fellini. That film reminded me made people understand what cinema was. I convinced all the friends of the Margherita bar to go and see it and then to make one all together. I looked like Jesus with the apostles. Yet, there was a moment when things were born like this in this country ".
Today, however, he continues, "when I go to drama schools, the kids often tell me: 'I have a plan B anyway'.
And I already know that none of them will make their big dream come true. In this country we need to go back to imagining things impossible, to make the improbable. It took me twenty years to make my film on Dante. But as a seller of sticks I made 54 films, I wrote one for Pasolini, I became a friend of Fellini, the author of books. And don't you know still what I will do! We have to go back - he exhorts - I'm not saying to be sixty-eight, but to have a little boldness and above all give the boys a little courage back. Each of them has something extraordinary to say and do. I am grateful to those 54 people to whom I said 54 times 'with this film we will win the Oscar'.
We never won it but they always allowed me to make that film".
As for today, concludes Avati, "at my age you always have to deal with the registry office.
It is the first datum that reaches me in the morning, when I wake up at fourteen and after two minutes I discover that I have turned 80.
It's not an easy awakening.
But I also remember Picasso saying something curious, nice and encouraging.
That it takes many many years to become young.
And I, I'm becoming."
