An interview with FRANCES SAPPHIRE, director of “CRIME NEVER DIES (IL CRIMINE NON PAGA)”

13 Lug An interview with FRANCES SAPPHIRE, director of “CRIME NEVER DIES (IL CRIMINE NON PAGA)”

Posted at 20:31h in Interviews by


                                                                                                 Frances Sapphire

“THE FILM SHOW IS THE WHITE NOTEBOOK WHERE THE DIRECTOR, AS A PAINTER, WRITES THE COLORFUL EMOTIONS TO TRANSMIT TO HIS VIEWERS!“

 

BIO

Born and lives in Rome, Italy where she conducted international studies and has always studied languages, graduating in Linguistic Mediation in English and French, writing a thesis on Islam, and cultivating a great passion for oriental languages, political sciences and cultural heritage . She is currently studying for the Master’s degree in Archeology and Art History, her maximum aspiration in Art that has always pervaded her, being Master of Art with a diploma in Painting and Sculpture. In 2005 she felt the need to deepen her vocal techniques and in 2010 she obtained the Diploma at the Philharmonic Academy of Bologna in the city of Rome. While participating to a stage with the Italian actress Monica Scattini, she discovered her interest in cinema and her passion began, starting in the same Academy of Rome the two-year course of Diction, Dubbing and Acting with Master Elio Polizzi and Director Beatrice Polizzi. Afterwards she joined a comic workshop with cabaret actors from the Seven Show, and acted in a Comedy theater work called “Smile” with the well-known Italian cabaret actor Gabriele Marconi, directed by Master Pier Luigi Nicoletti of Rome (AICAB) in a theater in Ostia Lido, Rome.  In early 2013 she recorded an unedited  album of Italian songs with Maestro Petruccetti “Al di là del fiume” (Beyond the river). Then she continues her courses in diction and acting for about 2 years, until she arrives at the theater, where she will conduct the Theater Acting course for 1 year in a school of Rome directed by the teacher Bianchi that will culminate in a Shakespeare comedy at the Petrolini Theater in Rome in June 2018, Sogno di una notte di mezza estate (Dream of a midsummer night), where she will play the role of head of the forest theater actors. In the same year she was hired as a leading actress for the short film “Latte e Biscotti” (Milk and biscuits) directed by Giacomo Beschi for the RUFA University of Rome, in the role of a cashier. In June 2019 she plays a part in the backstage of the final of “Tu si que vales” for the Italian TV Channel 5. In the same year she joined a course for Dialogue Adapter and discovered her passion for this work, together with the Literary Translation,  Interpretation and Translation for which she holds the Degree title. During some fashion shows, in August 2019 she met the director Tony Paganelli of Rome who follows her in his School of Cinema, and where she studied for one year directing, acting and improvisation techniques, interpretation, diction and dubbing and where she interpreters: “Il fuoco (and the previous lives)” (The fire) by Maria Rita Panci (2020). A few months ago she wrote her first screenplay entitled “Crime never dies”, a crime thriller finished in April 2020, where she ventured for the first time in directing and also starred in her film acting as a criminal boss. In the meantime, she continues to improve her diction, voice, acting and public speaking techniques with the Laboratorio CentroVoce in Rome and obtains the MIUR certificate. In May 2020 acts in another short film, Diamanti e Farfalle (Diamonds and Butterflies), written by Rigelsa Cybi, plays in the part of the girl’s aunt. She is currently in the process of shooting  for her 5th short film as actress, “Luci e ombre del Campione” (Lights and shadows of the Champion) by Michela Masi and Tony Paganelli, in the role of a sports journalist and she has just finished writing the screenplay for another short film about the world of fashion,  to be performed in August 2020. Her goal is always to be able to improve over time and repeat the experience of directing in the near future by continuing to study in the field of cinema.
FILMOGRAPHY

LATTE E BISCOTTI BY GIACOMO  BESCHI (FOR RUFA UNIVERSITY) – SHORT (MAY 2018), PROTAGONIST ACTRESS AS A CASHIER

IL FUOCO (AND THE PREVIOUS LIVES) BY MARIA RITA PANCI – SHORT (APR. 2020), ACTRESS AS A REIKI THERAPIST

CRIME NEVER DIES (IL CRIMINE NON PAGA) BY FRANCES SAPPHIRE – SHORT (APR. 2020) DIRECTOR, SCREENPLAYER, PRODUCER, SCENOGRAPHER, DIALOGUE ADAPTOR, LEADING ACTRESS AS A CRIMINAL BOSS

DIAMANTI E FARFALLE BY RIGELSA CYBI – SHORT (MAY 2020), ACTRESS AS THE GIRL’S AUNT

LUCI E OMBRE DEL CAMPIONE BY MICHELA MASI – SHORT (TO BE SHOOTED END OF JULY 2020), ACTRESS AS A SPORTS JOURNALIST.

 

 

 

 

 

THE STORY YOU DECIDED IS A BLEAK, HARD STORY. WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO TELL IT? ARE YOU FASCINATED BY THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CRIMINAL CIRCLES?

A FEW MONTHS AGO I HAD AN INSPIRATION ABOUT A CRIMINAL HISTORY WHICH INCLUDED ESPIONAGE AND THEFT OF AN IT PROJECT AND I WROTE A STORY, BUT THIS REFLECTS THE FIGHT BETWEEN HUMAN BEEINGS FOR SURVIVING AND REALITY IS HARD AND BLEAK. IN FACT I CREATED AN AMERICAN SCENARIO OF A VIOLENT THRILLER, WHERE THERE WASN’T A DROP OF BLOOD BECAUSE I ATE VIOLENCE. THE SPRING THAT PUSHED ME TO WRITE THIS STORY WAS THE DESIRE IN MAKING A NEW THRILLING AND MURKY ACTION THRILLER, BUT IN MY ITALIAN WAY.

NOVELS AND DETECTIVE FILMS HAVE ALWAYS FASCINATED ME AND ALSO THE SEARCH FOR THE REASONS WHY CRIMES ARE COMMITTED. I’M INTERESTED IN STUDYING THE BEHAVIOUR OF CRIMINAL MINDS HAVING DONE CRIMINOLOGY COURSES ON PERPETRATORS OF VIOLENT CRIMES AND VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE. IN A WAY, IN MY LIFE I HAVE BEEN CLOSE TO THIS UNDERWORLD AND TO THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE UMAN MIND.

 

 

 

THE ACTORS IN YOUR FILM WERE EXTRAORDINARY. YOU YOURSELF WERE AMONG PROTAGONISTS OF THIS STORY.  HOW DOES IT FEELS TO BE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAMERA? WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT ROLE FOR YOU?

I WAS HAPPY TO WORK WITH GOOD ACTORS WHO COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO PLAYING DIFFICULT ROLES AND I APPRECIATE THEM FOR THEIR EXTRAORDINARINESS. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAMERA AND I AM PROUD OF IT BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO SHOOT THE FILM I WROTE IN THE BEST WAY. BEING AMONG PROTAGONISTS OF MY STORY AS ACTRESS  GAVE ME A LOT OF CHARGE IN THE ROLE OF THE ENERGETIC WOMAN IN CHARGE OF A GANG.

THE DIFFICULTY WAS UNDOUBTEDLY TO FALL INTO AN ACTOR ROLE WHERE IT WAS NECESSARY TO BE VERY DETERMINATED AND, AS A WOMAN, GIVE ORDERS AND MAKE ME RESPECT AS A CRIMINAL BOSS, BUT DOING THIS WAS SO EXHILARATING FOR ME. AS DIRECTOR BEING AT MY FIRST EXPERIENCE, IT WAS INTERESTING   TO INTERACT WITH THE WHOLE CAST AND GET THEM TO PLAY THEIR ROLES AT THE BEST AS THEY WERE DESIGNED  IN THE FILM I WROTE, CRIME NEVER DIES,  AND TO SHOOT THE SCENES IN THE WAY AND LOCATIONS I HAVE CHOSEN; THIS ROLE IS NOT EASY BECAUSE IS ALSO OF GREAT RESPONSIBILITY AND ON SET VARIOUS PROBLEMS CAN ARISE. YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO SOLVE THEM AND CONCENTRATED TO CONTINUE YOUR WORK DOING YOUR BEST IN THE FILM DIRECTION. BEING THE PRODUCER OF MY SHORT FILM, ALL THIS GAVE ME A LOT OF ADRENALINE AND IT WAS CONGENIAL TO ME AS I AM A MULTITASKING PERSON EVEN IN LIFE

 

 

 

 

 

IN YOUR FILM, WOMEN PLAY DECISIVE ROLES, WITH GREAT STRENGHT AND FLAIR. DO YOU THINK YOUR FILM COULD BE A FEMINIST FILM?

IN MY FILM WOMEN PLAY DECISIVE ROLES, THE ARE CRIMINAL OR CAREER WOMEN, OR POLICEWOMEN, ME INCLUDED PLAYING THE PART OF A WOMAN WHO IS CRIMINAL. THE GIRL WHO IS THE KIDNAPPED VICTIM IS SO YOUNG AND INEXPERIENCED AND IS USED BY ME BUT SHE WILL BE FREED  AND NO HAIR WILL BE TWISTED TO HER. THE OTHER WOMEN KNOW WELL WHAT THEY WANT FOR BEST OR WORSE IN ADDITION  TO GETTING PRIZES FOR THEIR INTELLECTUAL ABILITIES AND HONESTY AS IN THE CASE OF JESSICA

 AFTER ALL, THE CRIMINAL WOMAN HAS A SOUL AND USES HER BRAIN LIKE A MAN TOO. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS AN AVANT-GARDE FILM AS REGARDS THE ROLES THAT WOMEN HAVE TODAY, EVEN IF HERE JUSTICE PREVAILS OF THE LAW OF THE STRONGEST. NORMALLY WE CAN TALK ABOUT FEMINISM IN THEORY, BUT ACTUALLY BEING LIKE THIS IN MY FILM IS NOT EASY AT ALL, SO I IMAGINED A REDEMPTION OF THE CONDITION OF WOMAN IN ALLA FIELDS. THE FILM CAN ALSO BE FRAMED IN A FEMINIST GENRE FOR THE IMPORTANT ROLES THAT WOMEN PLAY HERE. THE RAPE OF BOSS SAMANTHA AND HER REBELLION, BECOMING A CRIMINAL AND DOING JUSTICE ON HER OWN, AGGRESSIVELY MEAN THE FIGHT AGAINST VIOLENCE. SHE IS THE SYMBOL WOMAN WHO GOES TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE AND DEFENDS ALL WOMEN RAPED OR KILLED AS WELL AS MANY BAD STORIES OF WOMEN VICTIMS OF MAN OF WHOM MY BOSS IS A PALADIN TO TAKE REVENGE.

 

 

YOU CAME TO THE CINEMA THROUGH NUMEROUS STUDIES AND FORMS OF EXPRESSION. WHAT DID YOU FIND IN THE CINEMA? DO YOU THINK IT ALLOWS YOU TO EXPRESS SOMETHING THAT OTHERWISE YOU WOULD NOT BEEN ABLE TO COMMUNICATE?

I ARRIVED TO THE CINEMA AFTER NUMEROUS INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, LITERARY AND ARTISTIC FORMS AND I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS WORLD BECAUSE I FIND THAT THERE ARE MILLIONS OF HUMAN EXPRESSIONS THAT CAN BE COMMUNICATED THROUGH A FILM BY SENDING MESSAGES TO THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING THE FILM IN ORDER TO FIND VALUES LIKE JUSTICE, RESPECT AND THE FIGHT AGAINST VIOLENCE, ALSO THROUGH A CRIMINAL STORY.  CINEMA IS A BEAUTIFUL FORM OF EXPRESSION THAT ALLOWS ME TO EXPRESS MYSELF IN VARIOUS ROLES, CHARACTERS, CREATIVE TECHNIQUES AND TO DEVELOP MY IMAGINATION TRYING TO RANGE ON VARIOUS TOPICS. SURELY IF I DIDN’T DO CINEMA I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE ALL THIS!