Zeus Machine. L’invincibile

Zeus Machine. The Invincible
The Zapruder filmmakersgroup tells the never-before-told story of Hercules in twelve vignettes. At petrol stations and roundabouts, in sports halls, sculpture storerooms and at music festivals, we encounter the Greek hero as a distant translation: performances by bodies and machines re-enact scenes from sword-and-sandal films linked to him. In this film, we are confronted with Hercules and the idea of the myth in a manner that is both scattered and compressed: the stories have become unrecognisable and what remains is always the same motif of a fight – against bulldozers, training bags, time, or oneself. Zeus Machine. L’invincible is the document of performances and is as a film itself a performance that sets narrative, documentary and experiment modes in motion to really shake up an old man before picking up the vestiges of him that remain.
by David Zamagni, Nadia Ranocchi
with Sergio Fantoni, Paolo Zanfanti, Mirco Zanfanti, Francesca Ricci, Marco Mazzoni, Enrico Zoffoli, Nicola Menghetti, Bastien Meunier, Elenora Amadori, Luca Cavina, Paolo Mongardi
Italy 2019 Italian 74’ Colour

With

  • Sergio Fantoni (Ercole Farnese)
  • Paolo Zanfanti (Sosia / Gas station attendant)
  • Mirco Zanfanti (Mercurio / Mugger)
  • Francesca Ricci (Snake handler)
  • Marco Mazzoni (Drunk guy at supermarket)
  • Enrico Zoffoli (James Dean scrapyard)
  • Nicola Menghetti (Wrestler)
  • Bastien Meunier (Ecarteur)
  • Elenora Amadori (Time Player)
  • Luca Cavina (ZEUS!)
  • Paolo Mongardi (ZEUS!)

Crew

Written and Directed by David Zamagni, Nadia Ranocchi
Cinematography Monaldo Moretti
Editing David Zamagni, Nadia Ranocchi
Music Francesco Fuzz / ZEUS! Brasini
Sound Design Mattia Dallara
Sound Gilles Barberis
Production Design David Zamagni, Nadia Ranocchi
Costumes David Zamagni, Nadia Ranocchi
Make-Up Ginevra Mei
Assistant Director Monica Comandini
Production Manager Nadia Ranocchi
Producers David Zamagni, Nadia Ranocchi
Co-Producer Beatrice Bulgari
Co-Production In Between Art Film Rom, Italien

Produced by

Zapruder film

David Zamagni

Born in Rimini, Italy in 1971. After training as a surveyor, he began studying Film. In 2000, he founded the film collective Zapruder together with Nadia Ranocchi and Monaldo Moretti. Ranocchi and Zamagni have been writing, producing and directing together since 1998.

Filmography

2000 H.O.L.Y.; 3 min. 2001 Spring Roll; 20 min. 2002 Totentanz; 12 min. · J.G.; 12 min. · Doggy Bag with Spring Roll; 24 min. 2004 Rebus per Ada; 16 min. 2005 Morning Smile; 30 min. 2007 Daimon; 50 min. 2008 Pletora. Il dono; Installation 2009 Cock-Crow; 44 min. 2010 All Inclusive; 67 min. · Joule; 22 min. 2011 Suite; 3 min. · Spell. The Hypnotist Dog; 22 min. 2012 Pletora; 16 min. · I topi lasciano la nave (The Rats Leave the Ship); 30 min. 2015 Speak in Tongues; 22 min. 2016 Salita all’Olimpo; 12 min. 2017 Phoenix, Amore brucio...; 12 min.

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020

Nadia Ranocchi

Born in Rimini, Italy in 1973. She studied Psychology. Together with David Zamagni and Monaldo Moretti, Ranocchi founded the film collective Zapruder in 2000. The group stages video installations with a particular focus on language and media. Ranocchi and Zamagni have been writing, producing and directing together since 1998.

Filmography

2000 H.O.L.Y.; 3 min. 2001 Spring Roll; 20 min. 2002 Totentanz; 12 min. · J.G.; 12 min. · Doggy Bag with Spring Roll; 24 min. 2004 Rebus per Ada; 16 min. 2005 Morning Smile; 30 min. 2007 Daimon; 50 min. 2008 Pletora. Il dono; Installation 2009 Cock-Crow; 44 min. 2010 All Inclusive; 67 min. · Joule; 22 min. 2011 Suite; 3 min. · Spell. The Hypnotist Dog; 22 min. 2012 Pletora; 16 min. · I topi lasciano la nave (The Rats Leave the Ship); 30 min. 2015 Speak in Tongues; 22 min. 2016 Salita all’Olimpo; 12 min. 2017 Phoenix, Amore brucio...; 12 min.

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020