Window is the new short film by Diego Marquez Todeschini. The film can be considered a turning point in the Venezuelan filmmaker's professional path. More than in previous works, it effectively demonstrates the ability to represent complex themes in a very short time frame. The film unfolds in just five minutes and dramatically describes the moments following a suicide attempt. The condition the protagonist is in is considered a metaphor reflecting various crucial issues prevalent and pervasive in contemporary society, particularly the indifference towards those dealing with the consequences of depression or mental illness.
The significance of this production is also evident from a technical standpoint. The director highlights his skill in the meticulous reconstruction of the settings, purposely made to appear decadent and devoid of any vital tension. In this way, the viewer is effectively immersed in the distressing atmospheres within which the plot unfolds. The scenes are illuminated by a cold, sometimes fluorescent light source. In some ways, it seems as if the film was produced using Kodak's Color Negative Film 5213, where only white and black colors dominate, except for red, which intentionally emerges only in scenes where the protagonist is injured and bleeding. Regarding filming techniques, two types of framing are used. Apart from the initial dynamic scene, where the viewpoint is dynamic, the story unfolds through a sterile and static perspective in the subsequent sequences. The lenses used by the director vary in size: 18 mm, 35 mm, and 50 mm.
The cinematic productions that inspired the Venezuelan author in the making of Window are certainly three: Possession (1981) by Andrzej Zulawski; Brazil (1985) by Terry Gilliam; Meshes of the Afternoon (1943) by Maya Deren.
Andrzej Zulawski's work is a psychological drama. The film recounts the story of a couple grappling with the dramatic consequences of a divorce, set in a historically problematic context, the divided Berlin of the 1980s. The actors are Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill. The film stands out for leading the viewer into eerie and cold atmospheres. These are considered some of the iconographic elements that influenced Marquez for his Window.
On the other hand, Terry Gilliam's film satirically describes a society led by a totalitarian regime further rigidified by a convoluted bureaucracy. In this film as well, a series of peculiarities, particularly aesthetic ones, are observed, which Marquez has incorporated into his Window. Specifically, it refers to the representation of an artificial and oppressive landscape in which the characters of the story move. However, at certain points, they are made to stand out from the surrounding environment, rendering it less prevalent in the frames. This technique is particularly reflected in Window but in a lighter manner. It is referred to when transitioning from the suicide attempt, where the camera is dynamic, to the subsequent phases, where the framing becomes sterile and still.
Finally, Maya Deren's cinematic work is considered one of the first experiments in bringing surrealism into the realm of cinema. It is also the first film in which mental distress and psychological disorder are depicted without resorting to dialogue. Without the avant-garde experiments carried out by Deren, it can be affirmed that cinema would not have become a dimension to manifest the creative essence of art. Specifically, in Marquez's Window, there are several references to Meshes of the Afternoon by the illustrious American filmmaker.
The protagonist of the short film is Italian actor Thomas Camorani, born in 2000 in Faenza. Camorani already boasts two notable experiences in the film industry, first in a movie and then in a Netflix series: Sotto il sole di Riccione and Summertime. His latest short film, Blu Come i Tuoi Occhi, after participating in numerous festivals, was awarded 9 times.
Contributors to the making of the short film include: Manuela Todeschini, Producer; Elisabeth Staak, Director of Photography; Joris Dragoman, Assistant Camera; Lena Weißmüller, Assistant Director; Alfredo La Corte, Gaffer; Sebastian Jimenez, Grip; Nina Oswald, Art Direction; Ruby Oswald, Art Direction; Sara Cabezas, Make-Up & Hair; Mariana Necol, Poster Design.
Diego Marquez Todeschini is a filmmaker born in 1995 in Caracas, Venezuela. His roots trace back to second-generation migrants who arrived in Venezuela from Italy and Portugal. His inclination towards cinematography manifested early, with his first steps in this realm taken at the age of six.
In 2011, the director decided to leave Caracas after realizing the impossibility of professional emergence and achieving his full realization. The United States, particularly the city of New York, became the chosen place to reside and radically shift his existence. In the American city, at Rabbit Content, he had the opportunity to complete a professional training in cinematography and also finish his high school studies at Millbrook School. The honing of skills in executing visual arts found further refinement later at Bard College, where he graduated in Cinema, also gaining adequate education in other fields of knowledge.
During his college years, he had the opportunity to build professional relationships with well-known filmmakers and film scholars, acquiring new knowledge to channel into his artistic practice. Notable figures in this regard include Kelly Reichardt, Charles Burnett, and Richard Suchenski.
Diego Marquez Todeschini moved to Italy in 2019, precisely to Verona, significantly changing the perspectives within which to express his professional life. In 2021, he distinguished himself by directing the short film titled Savages!, starring Dominican actor Andres Castillo. This work allowed him to achieve early successes, including being awarded as the best director by the London International Monthly Film Festival. In the same year, he wrote an in-depth text in the literary and cinematographic field, analyzing Timothy Dalton's acting in his portrayal of James Bond. Subsequently, the Venezuelan filmmaker contributed, through a series of interviews with various famous figures in the film world like Lynne Ramsay, Isabelle Huppert, and Pere Portabella, to completing Richard Suchenski's "Film Secession." In 2022, he became the author of an Italian-language short film for the first time, titled Lights Off, featuring actors Gianmarco Vettori and Klaudia Pepa. The work was favorably received by critics and gained significant approval at numerous film festivals.