‘Parthenope’ Cinematographer on Twisting a Tragic Greek Myth Into ‘Celebration of Life’ Through Collaboration With Paolo Sorrentino

variety.com:

Matt Minton mminton@variety.com When cinematographer Daria D’Antonio first stepped into the role of director of photography on Paolo Sorrentino’s film “The Hand of God” after working with him for many years (including as a camera operator on “The Great Beauty”), the focus was on finding the truth in the ’80s set coming-of-age drama. “We were looking for a close adherence to an experience of Paolo’s,” D’Antonio tells Variety of working on the Oscar-nominated film.

But despite her latest film with the Italian auteur once again being set in Naples, their latest collaboration, “Parthenope,” required a more poetic and less realistic approach.

In the classic Parthenope myth, the siren whose voice brought sailors to their doom throws herself into the sea after Ulysses successfully resists her temptation.

Her body is discovered on the shoreline and she is buried by fishermen after they are enchanted by her beauty. “We wanted to continue that idea of the myth, that Parthenope had not resisted the calling of all of what she was expected to do and she decided to put an end to her life in the legend,” D’Antonio explains.