DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Year: Coming soon in 2025
CAST: Alessandro Boselli, Dave Given, Francesco Della Calce, Valeria Smedile

Poetry and violence; love and hate; hope and illusion. These very dichotomies make Sandro Boselli an extremely unique and fascinating character. Sandro is a former inmate who grew up in the Materdei neighborhood, in the province of Naples, amidst the lights and shadows of Vico Paradiso alla Salute; but his dream is to publish a collection of poems. This hobby was particularly nurtured during his years of imprisonment, simply because, as he himself claims, “writing for an inmate is the easiest thing: all you need is a piece of paper and a pen.” A few objects, easily obtainable even in prison, that allow him to approach what, behind the walls of a prison, one desires most: freedom, even if metaphorical, and reunion with his family. Sandro is not an exception, deeply connected to his two children, one of whom he also works with at a stall in the market in the Antignano neighborhood, and in the past to his ex-wife, before she left him after an incident while he was trying to avoid being caught by the police; an incident that compromised his mobility. He has never studied nor developed any literary interests, but he is a brilliant poet, gifted with a unique and natural talent. A turbulent past led him to commit heinous crimes, the legal and life consequences of which provided him with the material and tools necessary to put his life into words. A life narrated through metaphors that implicitly allude to his struggles with drugs, violence, and the years spent behind bars. His writing is distinctive, highly recognizable, raw yet poetic, rooted in the Neapolitan identity that defines him and characterizes everyone of his poems. The documentary, taking on neorealist tones and using animation in certain segments, follows Sandro’s journey from the call to publish his first poetry book to his return home. His destiny intertwines with that of the writer Dave Given, who almost takes on the role of a prophet for Sandro, guiding him on his path towards writing and publishing the book, connecting him with key figures in his development. The aim is to show the audience, through a narrative made of many images and few words, how art is a tool of priceless power.