La casa dell’amore

The House of Love
Throughout its 77 minutes, the film never once leaves the small Milan apartment of Bianca Dolce Miele, a dark safe space illuminated by the warm light of the occasional candle, with objects arranged with ritualistic intention and a black cat always on the roam. A map of the heavens hangs above the bed, the outside world is accessed via telephone. “I’m always here, any time,” she promises her clients in a deep, throaty voice. “Give me half an hour to put on something sexy for you.” Bianca’s appearances in this film are self-determined and withstand any kind of normative gaze. The punters and friends who come calling each bring their own understanding of Bianca and the role of her profession: one quotes from the Bible, another sings a murder ballad, a third sets up a pristine white table upon her ambiguously gendered body, from which he eats tinned meat. “Tenderness always tells of new things,” is one way to translate the line from Sandro Penna that serves as the film’s motto. For Bianca’s invitation into her world is primarily directed at those who can only tell their stories in that space.
by Luca Ferri
with Bianca Dolce Miele, Natasha De Casto, Dario Bacis, Domenico Monetti, Walter Zombie, Umberto Baccolo, Delfina Unno, Assila Cherfi
Italy 2020 Italian, Portuguese 77’ Colour Documentary form

With

  • Bianca Dolce Miele (Bianca)
  • Natasha De Casto (Natasha)
  • Dario Bacis (Client)
  • Domenico Monetti (Client)
  • Walter Zombie (Walter)
  • Umberto Baccolo (Client)
  • Delfina Unno (Client)
  • Assila Cherfi (Friend)

Crew

Written and Directed by Luca Ferri
Cinematography Andrea Zanoli, Pietro De Tilla
Editing Chiara Tognoli
Sound Duccio Servi
Producer Federico Minetti, Andrea Zanoli
Executive Producers Andrea Zanoli, Federico Minetti

Luca Ferri

Born in Bergamo, Italy in 1976. He is a writer, photographer and filmmaker. Following numerous documentary films, he completed his feature film debut Abacuc in 2015. Ferri’s films are screened in national and international film festivals, museums and art galleries. Following Dulcinea (2018) und Pierino (2018), La casa dell'amore concludes his "Trilogy of the Apartment", three films shot entirely within domestic settings.

Filmography

2011 Magog (o epifania del barbagianni); 66 min. 2012 Kaputt (Katastrophe); 14 min. · Ecce ubu; 60 min. 2013 Habitat [Piavoli]; 61 min. 2014 Caro nonno (Dear Grandpa); 18 min. · Abacuc; 83 min. · Ridotto mattioni (Mattioni Reduced); 10 min. 2015 Tottori; 6 min. · Cane caro (Dog, Dear); 18 min. · Una società di servizi (A Society of Services); 30 min. 2016 Colombi; 20 min. 2017 Ab ovo; 24 min. 2018 Dulcinea; 64 min. · Pierino; 70 min.

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020