IX Side by Side LGBT Film Festival, Saint Petersburg, 2016 IX Side by Side LGBT Film Festival, 2016 | Page 11

ARIANNA
Carlo Lavanga,
Italy, 2015, 83 min
25 november, fr
20:00 — 22:55
2016 — Dallas International Film Festival, Special
Jury Prize
2016 — Golden Globes, Italy, Best Actress
(Migliore Attrice)
2015 — Venice Film Festival, Best Actress in a Debut
Film (Venice Days)
Arianna was born three times: once as a boy; three years
later as a girl; and finally, fully, during a sultry lakeside
summer, when she discovers that she is neither, or both—
intersexual. At 19, the captivating pale-eyed beauty
looks as if she had stepped out of a Renaissance painting,
with her boyish figure, tousled hair, and fine nose. But there
is anxiety behind her eyes — she has not yet begun
menstruating, and despite reassurances from her doctor
father, the hormone patches have resulted in not much
more than aching breasts.
Arriving at her parent’s country retreat near Lake
Bolsena in Tuscany, Arianna embarks on a journey
uncovering the secrets of her past through
the exploration of her body. Slowly she pieces together
the truth and finally comes to face with the true
nature of her sexuality and her identity.
Ondina Quadri
«At Side by Side I am presenting a film that deeply changed
the course of my life. With this film we tried to show
that it is possible to exist outside of the box and not have
the desire to exist within another. It is a film that talks about
the discovery of oneself and the fight for self-determination».
Join Actress Ondina Quadri after the screening for Q&A and the discussion
on intersexuality.
FROM AFAR
Lorenzo Vigas,
Venuzuala / Mexico, 2015, 93 min
26 november, sa
17:45 — 20:00
2016 — Miami Film Festival, Best Screenplay
2015 — Venice Film Festival, Golden Lion
2015 — Biarritz International Festival of Latin American
Cinem, Best Actor
2015 — Havana Film Festival, First Work
Wealthy middle-aged Armando lures young men to his
home with money. He doesn’t want to touch, only watch
from a strict distance. He also follows an elderly
businessman with whom he seems to have had a traumatic
relationship. Armando’s first encounter with street thug
Elder is violent, but this doesn’t discourage the lonely
man’s fascination with the tough handsome teenager.
Financial interest keeps Elder visiting him regularly
and an unexpected intimacy emerges. But Armando’s
haunted past looms large, and Elder commits the ultimate
act of affection on Armando’s behalf.
Moderator —
Alisa Tayozhnaya,
film critic, journalist