TO Giffoni Film Festival we had the opportunity to interview Monica Dugo AND A novel by Major Vergano Main characters like turtlesfilms that can be found in the cinema from 24 August and premiered at the Venice Film Festival last year.
like turtles tells the story of Daniele, Lisa, Sveva and Paolo, a seemingly ideal bourgeois family. One day, the husband pours out of the toilet and leaves. The empty closet becomes the perfect place for Lisa to hide and get over the separation. Sveva, her fifteen-year-old daughter, does everything to save her, not putting up with the strange behavior of her mother and the inexplicable absence of her father. Daniele will not go home, but Lisa will be able, thanks to the love of the children and her newfound strength, to take the first step towards overcoming the pain.
Here’s what Monica and Romana told us about “Like Turtles”
The film is not only about divorce, but also about how families react to this situation. How important is it for you to talk about these issues and clarify them in these days when families are increasingly divided?
Major Vergano’s novel: “I remember when I was little, having children of divorced parents in the classroom was still a special case, but now people are surprised and children are surprised when they hear that a classmate still has parents together. This obviously makes me smile, but it also makes me think, and I think it is necessary to keep up with the times and therefore accept this evolution, because, fortunately, today we live in a world where, if two people are not well together, they are free to separate, especially for their children. I think this is very important, because family peace determines the nature of children and how they relate to the world with people. First of all, I believe that managing separation as delicately and transparently as possible is an absolute must for the children and young people who are going through this moment, because we and I also put ourselves in the middle in personal matters, understand and feel much more than what parents feel. Therefore, never take anything for granted, just as children should not take their parents for granted, because the fragility of parents is right, and it’s not that you are a parent, a parent should always be strong and ready to fix everything. You don’t have to be a superhero.»
Monica Dugo: “Personally, this situation amazes me, and I can tell you that no one can ever tell you how to behave, any relationship is a sextant. I liked to tell a woman who doesn’t really know how to respond to pain, she is a woman who is always in control and in this situation she chooses to follow her instincts, possibly involving the eldest daughter too much, placing duties on her that she should not have been given. her, but who knows, after all, his behavior was correct.»
Do you think the reactions of the boys in the film can help children in this situation?
Major Vergano’s novel: “Yes, I believe it, as soon as we left the Giffoni screening, we met my mother and our partner, who thanked us for the film and thanked us. She attended the show with her partner and ex-husband and it was a beautiful image because I think he means a lot to her and her kids. The two ex-spouses decided to continue living together, obviously changing their relationship, as it should be, for the sake of their children, and I think our story tells them a lot. I would love to have this experience with my parents.»
Monica Dugo: “Yes, I really hope so! This was my goal. I wrote this story right after Covid, at a time when families are indeed finding themselves much more alone and forced to be together in a world where the sense of friendship between parents and children is growing stronger. The feeling of intimacy is much stronger than it was fifty years ago, when children were not told everything, but now the situation is different. So I asked myself, why not involve the children in this family’s divorce and show their reaction to the situation?”
How was the Venice experience 2022?
Major Vergano’s novel: “It was very funny, very beautiful, because actually I am a fan of the Venice Film Festival and have been there for many years as a spectator, and therefore for me it was the first time at all as an actress, and it was very beautiful. and very exciting. Many young people were also present, although in recent years I have seen more mature people. I can tell you that it’s always a pleasure to go to the cinema again with kids my age and even younger who watch different films of different genres and different styles and speak different languages.”
Monica Dugo: “The Venice show was truly wonderful. The applause lasted 10 minutes. My film was very small, presented in the section of the Biennale College, and on the day of its screening there was a film by Guadagnino with Timothée Chalamet in the next room, so I also enjoyed his applause. It was a really wonderful experience and the hall was packed.”
We are interested to know how it came about? Immediately or did it happen along the way?
Monica Dugo: “No, I chose the name very late. Until the end, I was looking for a suitable name for the insert, and then inspiration came to me from the joke of the protagonist’s son. I wanted the name to be symbolic and small, but instead “Like Turtles” seemed right to me, because it combines shell, protection, slowness, when you need almost nothing and you need everything.