[ENG] Esquire Italia: The natural and collective duty of anti-fascism
In the country that invented fascism, where a widespread rate of intellectual hypocrisy is such that it isn’t ashamed to distinguish between being anti-fascist and defining oneself as "not fascist", Sky Studios and Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartment, a company of the Fremantle group (which will have international distribution), in co-production with Pathé, in association with Small Forward Productions, in collaboration with Fremantle and Cinecittà, have launched the series M. II figlio del secolo, based on the novel by Antonio Scurati, directed by Joe Wright, on SkyAtlantic in January. Presenting it first, without fanfare, at the 81st Venice Film Festival.
This is the most important cinematographic work ever created in Italy, on the deafening truth of its fascist history. Never before has fascism been so authentically described in its identity as a criminal movement, constantly violent, dedicated to political murder, torture, brutality in all its forms, first to the punishment, and then the destruction, of democracy.
Benito Mussolini is a murderer, a criminal dictator, a hitman of freedom. Fascism has never had a shred of decency, historical truth condemns it for its massacres of civilians, for its racial laws, for the devastation it brought to all of Europe through the excitement of the idea of war as a heroic necessity. But the memory of fascism, its traces, become confused until they dissolve in the family channels of Italians, who easily prefer to dilute, but without managing to absolve, the collective conscience of the least national State in Europe. In a country that should have the courage to be ashamed, through which to build civil conscience, M. Il figlio del secolo, is a visual text, a tool for reflection and teaching. Effective not only because it’s a bearer of truth, but above all because the language that composes it is dictated by the plurality of contemporary elements that are indispensable to maintain the attention and empathy of the public. From the piercing soundtrack composed by Tom Rowlands of The Chemical Brothers, to the adrenaline-filled screenplay by Stefani Bises and Davide Serino, to the epic photography by Seamus McGarvey: the energy is constant. The light on the crime of an ideology without principles and therefore opportunistic, changeable, unscrupulous, is always on.
Those who don’t understand that Luca Marinelli, the protagonist of this eight-part film, suffered in dissolving principles and humanity to identify with the opposite of himself, offers the measure of the sensitivity with which they relates to the honesty of an actor's cultural work. Always reducing everything to the amount of material compensation that should justify and compensate for every disturbance.
Luca Marinelli had the courage to abandon himself to the evil that Benito Mussolini embodied. Evil is pervasive, it’s grotesque, it’s a caricature that becomes monstrosity, it’s many other nuances, but in its entirety it’s what opposes humanism, with the sole purpose of hurting others, for oneself.
Joe Wright, the director of M. Il figlio del secolo, is English. Did this help in placing violence at the center of the narrative as the identity of fascism, without discounts?
LM After a hundred years we are still experiencing the aftermath and the new involutions of the story we tell. Hatred and violence are a concept that every human being can understand, in every latitude. Joe is geographically English, yes. But as he always said, it’s important to talk about people and not nations. The concept of nation is something that is mostly used by the powerful to foment distinctions that can lead to heavy tragedies. What we tell is a universal story: the life of a person, and of a country, that we seem to have forgotten. If you know history you cannot be a fascist.
And yet, Italians were fascists. Even the many who did not oppose were guilty. Is this the weight of history?
LM I am not a historian but I can say that in that period politics, power, institutions, the monarchy and the Church played their part. But there was also a popular responsibility. History is astonishing: the succession of its events leaves you stunned.
Your Benito Mussolini is intimate, theatrical, it tells of the fascination that the man was able to transmit to others. What explanation did you give yourself?
LM I think that the trauma that the devastation of the First World War left on Europe and Italy is underestimated. Violence had become an integral part of society, but this didn’t justify it. Mussolini applied it to everyday politics, surrounding himself with people accustomed to the use of violence and quick to exercise it. Mussolini exploited emptiness and desperation, with skill and unscrupulousness has generated a new mix, a political form that fools everyone and continually changes direction according to convenience. But violence is an indispensable constant.
When Mussolini has to prepare the lists for the elections of April 6, 1924, he realizes the unpresentability and unreliability of his gang of thugs. He enlists other politicians, of different affiliations, who surrender to fascism in order to sit in Parliament. The scene in the film says: humanity is disgusting, and it’s on this tragedy that we will build our triumph.
LM Having been an opportunist politician, I think he had no trouble recognizing these attitudes in others. It’s his ruthlessness that is associated with contempt in the human race. In the monologue magnificently written around his gigantic effigy, he says: wanting more and more until you take everything, this is fascism. And this is Mussolini.
What did you learn?
LM A lot, both from myself and from the people around me. I had never spent seven months on a set with three hundred colleagues. But above all I loved Joe's dedication, his placing himself before art as if it were a divinity. And humble before his craft, he is guided by this: for me, a fundamental guide, an inspiration. The long period of filming gave me the opportunity to look at what was happening at different times and confirm how art is a process of communion.
In the film you give many speeches. Have you built a relationship with words?
LM They are frightening words in their ruthlessness and cruelty. They exude criminal ingenuity. The words were the first sound approach to the film. When I read the eight scripts in a row, I understood that I would have to do a great job of mnemonic organization. In many dialogues and speeches, the precision of each word was important. I made a plan to learn with the right timing, because his speeches, the role, required theatricality, but also authenticity. I didn't want memory to prevent me from feeling free to be there, in that moment.
What did you feel?
LM First a lot of curiosity, to understand how everything that was written in the script would be realized. Then I heard Joe explaining to four hundred people that they shouldn't be extras, but actors. That they couldn't just appear, that they had a collective responsibility. I knew we were all listening and their help was fundamental.
A challenging acting test?
LM A lot. The fifteen days in the Parliament chamber, reconstructed in an extraordinary way, were one of the most difficult periods. When we finished filming there was a moment that will be difficult to forget: a collective embrace between people who for seven months, ten hours a day, traveled together through history. A testimony to the common awareness of having explored the dark sides of the human soul and having touched the abyss. It's something that marks you. It took time to move away from hatred.
Have you ever had a moment of diabolical attraction?
LM No. I was just fascinated by the idea of being able to honestly tell the truth with this project. I felt the freedom of being able to ride history without the risk of being misunderstood.
"After a hundred years we are still experiencing the aftermath and new involutions of the history we tell"
Among the criticisms received, that of having played a grotesque Duce.
LM Life is also made up of grotesque moments. But from a comedy situation we can quickly slip into a tragedy. We must be very careful to notice these dynamics.
In Italy there are not many fascists, but many non-antifascists.
LM In my opinion, for all those who care about the idea of humanity and collectivity, it’s a natural moral duty to be anti-fascist.
PART 2: [Interview with Ikuma Kobayashi] Appearing as Ciel Phantomhive in the musical "Black Butler: The Green Witch and the Forest of Werewolves"!
T/N: Read Part 1 here!
Q: I heard that your appearance in the musical "Black Butler" was decided through an audition. Was there anything that made an impression on you during the audition?
A: When I did the audition, my voice was changing rapidly. So, I went to a karaoke booth to practice singing and did lots of vocal practice until the day before, and gave it my all.
I focused not only on singing, but also on acting. If I get strangely nervous during an audition, it will show on my face, so I try not to think too much about it when I go in.
Q: You got to wear the costume for the main visual shoot. How did it feel?
A: I practiced in front of the mirror while looking at the image materials for the shoot that they sent me, and then went to the shoot.
(When I saw the finished visuals) It was a costume that I wouldn't usually wear, so I was surprised at how fresh and cool it looked, like it wasn't me. While filming, I once again realized how important it is to carefully portray the various personalities of Ciel and to fully immerse in the character.
Q: What do you want to learn on the job? Also, what kind of preparation do you want to do before you start practicing?
A: I love singing, so I would like to learn from the singing of the other cast members. I would like to reread the original work and study it thoroughly so that I can properly portray Ciel's character.
Tateishi-san (Toshiki), who plays Sebastian Michaelis, is appearing in "Black Butler" for the third time, so he is reliable and very encouraging. When we were practicing together, he was very kind and chatted with me about school.
Q: Do you have anything in common with Ciel? How would you like to play Ciel?
A: Ciel is so amazing that the only thing we have in common is that we both love sweets (laughs). We both love sweets. I like sweets in general, but I especially love red bean paste, so I often buy it at convenience stores.
Up until now, Ciel has always given off a cool and handsome vibe, but this time he also has a weak and childish side. I think that's the (show's) highlight, so I want to play Ciel with this clear contrast in mind.
Q: (At the time of the interview) There is about a month and a half until the performance. How are you feeling right now? Are you feeling excited? Or are you feeling anxious?
A: Right now I can't help but look forward to the opening day, but I think I'll get even more nervous as the performance gets closer.
Last time when I made my debut, I didn't know the terminology, I didn't know what to do, and I was so nervous for every performance that I was so engrossed in performing on stage that I didn't have time to really feel the audience's reactions, but this time, if I have the time, I'd like to feel the audience's reactions as well.
Q: Finally, please tell us what you would like us to pay attention to in the musical "Black Butler"!
A: I hope that the Green Witch arc will show Ciel's different personalities and different sides to him. There are lots of great songs, so I hope you'll pay attention to those as well!
생일 축하한다 좌만 이번 생일주는 부산에서 보내겠구만 하하하하하하 생축쓰! #슈가형이야 #생일축하한다 #HappyBirthdayJimin #HappyJiminDay
Happy Birthday JwaMan. This time, you will be spending your birthday week in Busan hahahahahaha hbdz! #It'sSugaHyung #HappyBirthday #HappyBirthdayJimin #HappyJiminDay
Hi everyone, happy Easter! I think Lizz (1154lizz) might be taking a break, I will help to translate the latest chapter today! Please let me know if anyone can help to typeset, thank you! :)
🐺: He Tian // 🦊: Mo // 🐭: Jian Yi // 🐶: Zhan Zhen Xi // 👨🏫: Teacher // 👤: random
👨🏫: Go home and revise carefully, I will do a spot test tomorrow.
He Tian! Class hasn't even ended yet and you're already carrying your bag?
🐺: Teacher, I'm having a stomach ache, please let me go earlier~
👤: See you tomorrow~ Bye bye~
🦊: ...
Why the fuck did you take so long?
🐺: hehe~ you’ll still wait for me no matter how long I take~
🦊: Jian Yi and all went to rent costumes for the performance, they asked me to tell you to go and pay for it.
🐺: Lil brat... I'm helping you but you're helping others (pinches)
🦊: Ah fuck...!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(da-dum-da-dum---)
🐭 : Is this the band invited by the mall?
It's them! Their songs are super good!
Hurry up! Let's go and watch!
🐶: Ah... there's too many people..
Climb up!
🐭: hehe! hug me tight!
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🐺: No need to look for them, they're there.
Hopefully... We'll get the chance to perform like this in the future.
🦊: What did you say? The speakers are too loud!
🐺: I said...... I hope I can see you everyday.
// thank you so much @maleaser for the typesetting!! 🥰
