Alessia Mandanici
“ON YOUR RADAR” IS A WEEKLY GRAD FILM NEWS SEGMENT THAT FEATURES A STUDENT PICKED AT RANDOM.
Alessia IS CURRENTLY A 3RD YEAR STUDENT AT GRAD FILM. WE ASKED HER A FEW QUESTIONS, AND HERE’S WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY:
1. Where do you consider home and what is it like there?
The answer to that varies, sometimes within a day, from “Right here!” to “Nowhere really…”
I was born and raised in Germany, and always considered an “Italian girl” for my “un-German” name and appearance. When I went to Italy, where my father was born, I was considered a “German girl” for not being fluent in Italian and not being able to properly communicate with my own family.
I started to reconnect with both sides of my roots when I left Europe and came to New York. Distancing myself from my origins, weirdly enough, drew me closer to them.
I need to see more places and meet more people in order to be able to commit to just one place. Italy, Sweden, and Ireland are on my list of countries I’d like to live in, at least for a bit. Even if I don’t stay, I’ll at least try to find a good story worth telling.
The beauty of being a filmmaker is that you can tell stories in, from, and about any place in the world. I’d really like to do that as much as I can.
2. What is currently inspiring you as a filmmaker?
I recently re-discovered my (well-groomed) music library on an old hard drive and listened to the jazz records I dug when I was in high school, when I thought I would end up studying the saxophone. It brought back a lot of memories, but there’s a new flavor to it now that I’m twice as old and in a different stage of life.
I love how timeless this music is for me, and I think it will always have a safe place in the world. The way jazz is designed is very similar to filmmaking. You are following very basic guidelines – like a 12-bar theme that is written on a napkin – and the rest is open to your interpretation, imagination, and creativity all held within the frame of a group effort.
I try to think “musically” in whatever I do, and all of a sudden it transforms into “playing” instead of “laboring.”
3. What has been your most rewarding experience at NYU Tisch Grad Film so far?
That’s a very hard question to answer because there are so many lovely little moments that all bring the big picture to life. Even the weekly directing exercises can be extremely rewarding. Shooting on a tight schedule and pulling all-nighters with classmates where you edit, color grade, and hope your laptop won’t crash during the export so you have your film ready in time for class the next morning is exciting. Being in this experience together bonds you on a deep level, and that is a wonderful feeling.
My 2nd year film, which I shot in Sicily, will always keep a special spot in my heart. There were a lot of “first-times” on this production and I was blessed with an amazing crew and cast. For example it was my first time shooting in a country where I don’t speak the language fluently, which gave me so many obstacles I now know I can overcome even if at times it may seem like everything is falling apart. I am very grateful I was able to have this experience and share it with so many wonderful people.
Visit her website and vimeo, and follow her Instagram.