THE DIRECTOR
Hi! My name is Vivian, I’m a young Italian Creator. I moved to the UK to study and experience the art of film-making; my enthusiasm for camera, lighting and editing has granted me the opportunity to be part of some amazing projects with many talented people.
I usually work as part of the camera and lighting team but this time, I have a very personal story to tell and I will be coming back to Italy to do so.
"Serendipity" is my first medium-length film as writer and director.
Now that I have graduated in Digital Film Production and Screenwriting, I feel ready to express through this film my personal growth and the feelings attached to the house that we will be using as location for the film.
The story is set in Florence, my home town and takes place in a villa that has belonged to my family for many years. It is a very special place on the Chianti hills, which we are now sadly giving away.
Through this film, I want to convey all the emotions and traditions that make this place special. The film is a snapshot, a painting that outlines life in all its facets, good and evil, and evokes the world of farmers and the conditions of small businesses who are now disappearing.
It is not only a story about love but it is most importantly a film about happiness and life.
The Story
Francesco is a Florentine boy who has lived his entire life in Tuscany, helping his parents manage the family business. His dream is to go abroad to study screenwriting but his desire for security and the fear of failure prevents him from pursuing this goal.
On a summer day, Raquel, an American girl, arrives at Francesco’s villa in Chianti. She struggles with nightmares and fears that haunt her after some personal ordeals.
In this picturesque setting, Raquel and Francesco begin to get to know each other and feel a mutual interest that allows them to acquire a broader view of life and reflect upon happyness.
The impact
Through this film, we want to honour the small farms and artisan shops that have characterized Florence and its surroundings for many decades which are now slowly disappearing.
Amongst all, the Guarnieri family workshop (Art Gallery Studio Iguarnieri) is one of the oldest ones in Florence. Established in 1944, it has now become a unique Florentine contemporary Bottega with a multiple hands workflow inspired by the ideal of the Florentine workshops of the Renaissance.
Many of their artworks and paintings that feature in the film are part of a permanent private collection in the Villa.
With its stunning view over the Chianti hills, the location is indeed a character of the story itself. Family management and cultural tradition are what make this place special: the relationship with the land and its history, its ancient culture and the typicality of genuine products.
For this project Iguarnieri has created an original artwork to be the poster of the film! The painting is made in fresco painting technique on wood surface, refined with Gold leaf details and an inner Gold passepartout. The dimensions of the painting are 93 x 120 cm with the gold frame (36.6 x 47.2 Inc) and 70 x 100 without --> LINK
So if you are an art lover and would like to support our film you can purchase this unique piece of art, “Serendipity” made by great Florentine Masters, visit the Iguarnieri website at https://www.iguarnieri.it/ and become part of our project!
the budget
This is a low budget film.
The cast and crew are all voluntary passionate young people from the Theatre and Film industry.
The costs to bring this film to life included mainly the rent of video and sound equipment, catering, transportation to our location in Italy but also insurance and Covid tests.
Thanks to our GoFundMe campaign, we managed to raise over a thousand pounds to cover for some of these expenses.
Once finished, we will be submitting it to international film festivals, so a portion of our budget will also go toward submission fees.
