Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Toronto-based sales agent Syndicado Film Sales has acquired international rights to German director Caroline von der Tann’s Naples-set doc “The Gospel According to Ciretta” ahead of its world premiere at the Thessaloniki Intl.
Documentary Film Festival. In “The Gospel According to Ciretta,” the titular character, Ciretta, is a young petty crook and occasional male prostitute who is deeply religious and cocooned in a fantasy world of adoration for a beloved statue of the Madonna. “Blessed with an extraordinary voice and performing talent, Ciretta decides to organize a big procession for his beloved Madonna and starts raising money by singing and performing on the streets and selling lighters,” the doc’s provided synopsis reads.
But devastating news arrives. His makeshift home in a temporarily closed down theater in the historic center of Naples has been sold, and its new owner wants to turn it into yet another bed and breakfast in the city’s historic center.
In her director’s notes, von der Tann points out that Ciretta is very much a product of the social media generation and therefore during shooting ignored “the iron rule of not taking notice of the camera and happily addresses the director and camera operator directly through the lens.” “While that could be a problem in a classic style documentary, in this case it consciously creates a new dynamic look that fits in with the social media era,” she adds.
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