Daniela Lucato
(She/Her)
Statement:
This video was made during lockdown and finished on 25th April 2020. It is a reflection about domestic violence, human rights and woman condition in all countries. I was inspired by a personal involvement: an old friend I met by chance after a long time told me the abuse she was victim of from her husband. She thought it was painful but she accepted it as a normal condition. I was shocked and I told her she needed to contact the police. I thought about this short talk we had for a long time. I really think the way she accepted this abuse, thinking it was normal, is a huge issue for many women.
This is something that needs to be changed. This topic is for me really important and the work “My name is Sami”is a studio for a bigger project. I feel a responsibility as a woman artist to make people think about it, to confront themselves with this item. I don’t know if it will help to resolve the problem, but this is a start to fight it.
Content Warning: Discussion of Domestic Violence and Abuse
My Name is Sami, 2020
Logline: During the COVID-19 pandemic Sami apparently calls a friend to tell her a tragic episode.
Alt Text: Recording of one side of a phone conversation. A woman calling to tell her friend about her partner hitting her. The shots in this video are of the woman, Sami, in a domestic space. Shots of the tile, the bathtub, the bedroom. Blood slowly goes down the drain of the tub.
Director, Writer, Performer: Daniela Lucato
Cinematography: Jacopo Pantaleoni
Length: 3 minutes 45 seconds
HD Color
About Daniela Lucato
Daniela Lucato started playing theatre in Padua (Italy) parallel to her studies at the university. After her degree in Philosophy she moved to Rome, Wellington and finally Berlin where she works as an actress/filmmaker. The Birthday (2014), her first short film written/directed in mandarin/english language, has been officially selected from 25 international festivals (among these Micgenero, Frameline, ShanghaiPride where the film was also nominated for the best cinematography). In 2015 she founded Connecting Fingers Company. Her last productions for theatre are Connecting Fingers, The Wheel, Unsaid things, The rebellious Body, Sex in translation. Her last films When I dance
(2016),The Wheel (2017) are screening on international film festivals. For the time being (2018) received the award as best international short film at DUAF/ Tribeca Film Center. In 2019 she wrote/directed the experimental short film Vieni and in 2020 the narrative short Mamma dorme (Mommy’s sleeping) and during the lockdown My name is Sami.