The Italian crime drama The Mayor of Rione Sanit (original title: Il sindaco del Rione Sanit ) directed by Mario Martone brings from a stage drama to the big screen. The play of the same name, written by Eduardo de Filippo and first performed in 1960, was later adapted for the stage, notably in 2017 by the NEST Theater Company of Naples and was directed by the same Mario Martone. Having had its world premiere at the 76th Venice International Film Festival in the Main Competition, this feature was awarded with the collateral prize Leoncino D'Oro (Agiscuola, UNICEF).
Filmed in a villa at the foot of Mount Vesuvius in Naples in only four weeks, the picture tells the story of Antonio Barracano, well-known as Mayor, a man of honor who manages to resolve the justice disputes that arise within the neighborhood community and in doing so, prevents great violence.
Copyright Picture by Mario Spada, courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia - Photo ASAC
Actors Francesco Di Leva (l.) and Massimiliano Gallo in The Mayor of Rione Sanit .
ARRI had the chance to sit down with DP Ferran Paredes Rubio who used ALEXA XT Plus and ALEXA Mini cameras (with Open Gate ARRIRAW 2,39:1 recording format) and lighting equipment by ARRI on the film. He was able to elaborate on the cinematography behind the feature and let us in on some candid insights.
For so many reasons I choose ALEXA Mini for this project: Its naturalness in terms of the color rendering of skin tones and in the usage of mixed lights I intended to create. Its high exposure latitude helped a lot during the shooting of various scenes in which the indoor and outdoor spaces were combined in a tracking shot. In addition, its reduced dimensions were essential as they allowed us to use stabilization systems, said Ferran Paredes Rubio.
Finding a proper look was among the challenges he faced during the shooting: The biggest challenge was to find a cinematographic look for a project that lies between a film and a theatrical piece. The scenes contained many actors, sometimes more than ten. It is never easy to create interesting shots with so many actors in such small environments. The characters used to come in and out continuously and this was part of the second challenge which was to establish a constant relationship between these limited spaces and the outdoors.
The story takes place over the course of a whole day, starting in the middle of the night and ending after dinner, in which the sun had to complete its entire arch from dawn to dusk. The main locations centered around a white villa at the foot of the Vesuvius volcano and a completely black flat in the Rione Sanit neighborhood. We wanted to keep this division between the narrative transitions, between black and white, light and its stark absence, explained the cinematographer, and added: We hoped that all these narrative elements could help us to adapt this beautiful play from Eduardo De Filippo.
Despite the homogeneity of the environments, in cooperation with production designer Carmine Guarino, Ferran Paredes Rubio tried to give a depth to the images through the existing furniture that could create a play of shadows with a variety of textures. He added suspended furnishings to the walls to create shadows and movement, otherwise the walls would have just remained black or white. The decision to use anamorphic lenses happened straight away: I wanted to create an intangible relationship between the characters and the space and have a shallow depth of field. I was often forced' to use wide-angle lenses that could turn the environment into a non-place.' Something like a realistic scene but separated from the characters and somehow isolated in the light of reason (the white villa) and in the shadow of death (black apartment).
Copyright Indigofilm
Actors Francesco di Leva and Lucienne Perreca in The Mayor of Rione Sanit
On the usage of ALEXA, Ferran Paredes Rubio reported that the 4/3 sensor was the crucial point for the related usage of anamorphic lenses without which he couldn't have conceived the photography of this film.
Ferran Paredes Rubio also relied on ARRI lighting for his project, using both LED and Tungsten fixtures. I believe that each atmosphere needs appropriate lighting fixtures. SkyPanel S30 and S60 were very useful in small environments for their versatility and easy management on location. In some spaces he used Tungsten lights, such as ARRI 650, ST1, ST2, and ST5, while in others M-Series Daylight lampheads were chosen.
Personally, I consider Tungsten light to be the richest with a more natural rendering for many reasons. LED, especially SkyPanels, are becoming an essential part for my lighting setup, allowing me to have more freedom in color and light intensity. Moreover, the change of effects even during the shooting of a scene make them super practical and allow me to be creative!
https://ferranparedesrubio.com
https://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/2019
Related Products ALEXA Mini More than just a camera
SkyPanel Soft Lighting | Redefined
M-Series More light, less work
True Blue D Highly innovative lampheads for studio and location lighting
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
06/05/2026
Gravity Media Chief RF Communications Engineer Glenn Willems uses Wisycom RF over Fiber and wireless solutions across major cycling events and international mar...
06/05/2026
A Sennheiser Spectera module is now available in Bitfocus Companion and Buttons, enabling direct integration of Spectera with the two software platforms. The mo...
06/05/2026
Ted Turner, the visionary media entrepreneur whose appetite for disruption helpe...
06/05/2026
Peacock is going all-in on the beautiful game - streaming all 104 FIFA World Cup...
06/05/2026
New pricing tiers for vocal/dialogue restoration tool
NoiseWorks Audio's AI-powered vocal and dialogue processing plug-in is now available in three diff...
06/05/2026
Popular mixing & routing software overhauled
Following a recent public beta test, RME have launched the final release version of the powerful mixing and rou...
06/05/2026
New SOS Video Feature
Focusrites ISA C8X is a milestone product that brings together the companys analogue heritage and their expertise in digital audio. Yo...
06/05/2026
Polands Miecznik-class frigates are part of the largest contract in Polish shipbuilding history. (Image Credit: PGZ Stocznia Wojenna)...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Riedel Communications today announced the expansion of its leadership structure as part of a strategic initiative to strengthen both its operational management ...
06/05/2026
For nearly three decades, Veteran Production Sound Mixer and Five-time Emmy Award Winner Dirk Sciarrotta has helped define the sonic identity of the long-runnin...
06/05/2026
ZEISS CinCraft LensCore: Cinema Lens Looks for Compositing
Brie Clayton May 6, 2026
0 Comments
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a nove...
06/05/2026
Wisycom Solves Extreme RF Challenges Across Miles of Live Action for Gravity Med...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Narrative Entertainment has partnered with Encompass to deliver high-quality subtitling of its Great! network content using the Altitude Intelligence AI assiste...
06/05/2026
SipRadius, widely recognized for making content processing and connectivity secure and seamless, is proud to launch a dramatic new approach to AI content creati...
06/05/2026
When the broadband and media industry gathers at ANGA COM in Cologne from May 19 to 21, Big Blue Marble will be at the forefront. The international broadcast an...
06/05/2026
Cinegy GmbH, a leading developer of software-defined television technology, is proud to exhibit at MPTS for the first time. Visitors to the stand will discover ...
06/05/2026
Val Jeanty Receives 2026 Doris Duke Artist Award Jeanty, a composer, percussionist, and turntablist, is the fourth Berklee recipient of the prestigious award ...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
When live cycling races and international marathons stretch for miles across cities and countryside, there is no margin for RF failure in live broadcast. As Chi...
06/05/2026
Oberkochen/Germany, May 5, 2026
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a novel solution for creating physically based cinematic lens looks for visual...
06/05/2026
06 May 2026
VEON's Kyivstar Authorized to Resell Starlink for Businesses & ...
06/05/2026
UKTV has secured the exclusive rights to the early back catalogue of iconic Australian drama series Neighbours, following a landmark content deal with Fremantle...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky commissions feature documentary to mark 10th anniversa...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky and Formula 1 agree long-term partnership across UK, Ireland and Italy
Sky in the UK & Ireland to remain the home of Formula 1 until ...
06/05/2026
Sky Zero Footprint Fund-backed TV campaign launches nationwide, supported by new...
06/05/2026
Wuppertal May 6, 2026
Riedel Expands Leadership Structure, Appoints Marc Engro...
06/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 6, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced its latest broadband innovations for ANGA COM 2026, highlighting its vision for a new e...
06/05/2026
Statement from Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Emeritus, Fox Corporation on Ted Turner&...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
06/05/2026
The race to build the world's most powerful AI factories demands networking ...
06/05/2026
How changes to proteins can alter drug interactions for new precision therapies Scripps Research team maps how chemical modifications to proteins affect drug bi...
05/05/2026
Experts from the world of academia, tech, business, politics and media convened for a Thomson Talks at the Cambridge Disinformation Summit in April. It's th...
05/05/2026
Three phones were hardwired for power and transmission to the truck; camera feat...
05/05/2026
The creative studio behind campaigns for the NBA, Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino, ...
05/05/2026
Nielsen has announced results from a co-viewing pilot program covering February&...
05/05/2026
viztrick AiDi, an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV, delivered global...
05/05/2026
ARRI has announced Omnibar, a battery-powered, IP65-rated multi-color LED linear...
05/05/2026
Imagine Communications has announced that France T l visions is the first broadc...
05/05/2026
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Bell Media today announced a multiyear agreement to broadcast and stream WNBA games in Canada beginni...
The Italian crime drama The Mayor of Rione Sanit (original title: Il sindaco del Rione Sanit ) directed by Mario Martone brings from a stage drama to the big screen. The play of the same name, written by Eduardo de Filippo and first performed in 1960, was later adapted for the stage, notably in 2017 by the NEST Theater Company of Naples and was directed by the same Mario Martone. Having had its world premiere at the 76th Venice International Film Festival in the Main Competition, this feature was awarded with the collateral prize Leoncino D'Oro (Agiscuola, UNICEF).
