"Superman's planet, which isn't very remote..." It is the place where Marco Antonio, one of the protagonists of Krypton, Francesco Munzi's documentary, thinks he comes from, which through 100 days spent in 2022 between two psychiatric communities on the outskirts of Rome, in the ASL Roma 1 department, projects us into the daily lives of six young patients suffering from mental disorders. An engaging and personal journey on the path towards a daily life that allows greater openness to others, to greater security, to the outside, which also involves patients' families and their doctors, between therapies, advice and listening. The non-fiction film, produced by Cinemaundici and Rai Cinema, after its debut at the Rome Film Fest and winning the audience award at the RIDF - Rome International Documentary Festival, arrives in cinemas from 18 January with Zalab, in the year in which the centenary of the birth of the psychiatrist and neurologist Franco Basaglia, inspirer of Law 180 of 1978, occurs. which led to the closure of asylums and had as its goal, a revolution in the treatment of psychiatric patients.
"Today there is a lot of talk about mental illness, but I didn't have the tactile feeling of what it meant," explains the director, who has already directed award-winning films such as Black Souls. The documentary was a journey in which I was surprised by everything. I identified two or three microcosms, particularly welcoming communities and being there every day, little by little those who decided to tell their stories became protagonists, also in the relationship with doctors and families. A job like this moves on the level of sharing and trust. There was a process of human rapprochement between us in which I wanted the various protagonists to be free to put themselves on stage."
Thus, in addition to Mark Antony, who lives his days marked by fixed paths and the conviction of being Jewish, we know, among others, the rebellious Dimitri, who seeks the meaning of his life and does not adapt to schemes set by others; Silvia, committed to fighting an eating disorder supported by her father; Georgiana, who identifies the origin of everything in a reassuring and personal concept of darkness and is trying to rebuild her life after losing custody of her daughter; Emerson, as empathetic as he is sensitive, and around them, therapies, dialogues, community life, confrontations, clashes, confidences, new beginnings. "Francis has managed to give a voice to these people, to give light to a subjectivity often saturated by external judgment - explains Mauro Pallagrosi, psychiatrist medical director of the ASL Roma 1 - This does great justice on many levels. The children and families reacted positively, they felt given back the opportunity to tell their stories. We allowed it to be done very spontaneously, also because we gradually forgot about the camera." For Giuseppe Ducci, Director of the Department of Mental Health ASL Roma 1, "we are all children of Basaglia, but society has changed a lot, we must try to build services that give answers. A great capacity for hospitality, not only human but also technical, must be the characteristic of a public health service that guarantees dignity and closeness to people. To do this, this is a very tiring moment, given that the resources we have are less and less, in the face of a clear increase in cases, especially among adolescents,the pandemic. The problem of mental health is neglected in this country." In the audience there is also Francesca Romana, sister of Marco Antonio, who we see in the documentary appointed as his support administrator, despite the fact that her brother does not recognize her: "In recent years we have learned that these states of mind have changing trends," she explains. " In recent months our relationship has had a surprising evolution, now Marcus Aurelius recognizes me and we have beautiful moments of sharing, he has accustomed me to surprising and wonderful things".
All rights reserved © Copyright ANSA