FUMO

a short film by Andrea Rebuzzi

Massimo is a capable, rigorous, but above all honest mechanic. It is precisely his honesty that leads him to earn the right amount and not as much as his wife Agata would like. Overwhelmed by his wife’s pressure and dominated by his own integrity, one day he meets Carlo, a man who seems to give him the right advice so as not to ruin his life.

When I was told the true story of an honest and rigorous mechanic who was also willing to give up easy money by approfining the complete ignorance of customers to adhere to his own beliefs and/or foibles, I was hopelessly affascinated by the inevitable coexistence of comic and dramatic aspects in the same character. What can push a man, our MASSIMO, to so rigorously apply the precepts that his mind imposes on him, even leading him to the risk of failure? Too strict education? Excessive need for control that results in the inevitable failure of control itself? And again, how much does this conduct influence the relationship with his wife AGATA, whose natural conflict is constantly fueled by the conditions that the couple finds themselves living in, as well as by her more or less legitimate requests and aspirations?

The character of CARLO fits into this already complex picture, an unexpected friend who dispenses life advice to a Massimo who appears needy and almost thirsty for it. But, assuming the validity of such advice is not granted, how will it be received by a man who tends to take every belief to the extreme like Massimo? And are we then sure that Massimo is really the person to be saved and not perhaps Agata? Is there really anyone to save? I tried to deal with these questions, having in front of me a “dramatic triangle” in which scene after scene the characters exchange the roles of victim, persecutor and savior, in the belief that underlining the more comical aspects does not hide but rather highlight the complexities of the characters themselves. The actors gave their enormous contribution, making these personalities their own and often bringing out unexpected sides of the characters we had created. The attention to scenography, photography and costumes did the rest. I tried to put everything together and then send it all up in FUMO (smoke).