Susanna Nicchiarelli on Directing Margherita Mazzuco in ‘Chiara’

With “Chiara,” Susanna Nicchiarelli’s portrait of Saint Clare of Assisi – the thirteenth century saint born right into a rich household who at age 18 turned a nun after listening to St. Francis preach – the Italian director completes her trilogy of feminine biopics, segueing from “Nico, 1988” and “Miss Marx,” which each launched from Venice’s Horizons part. With “Chiara,” she makes the leap into the principle Venice competitors.

Nicchiarelli spoke to Selection about what drew her to portraying this prototypical feminist and directing “My Good Pal” star Margherita Mazzucco within the pic’s titular position. Excerpts.

What drove you to wish to inform us this story about St. Clare?
Nicely, to start with, I used to be all the time enthusiastic about Saint Francis. I’ve a really robust reminiscence once I first noticed Franco Zeffirelli’s “Brother Solar, Sister Moon.” I used to be in school after they confirmed it to us and this boy, this man, taking his garments off in entrance of the Bishop. That was a really robust picture. Francis’ battle speaks to us simply as a lot at the moment as a result of it’s a battle for poverty, in opposition to social injustice. It’s about being on the aspect of the poor, of those that are completely different, and the injustices of a society by which only a few have every little thing after which most don’t have anything. So, this was their battle. The medieval society was like that. It’s not so completely different from the best way it’s now.

After all Clare was Francis’ follower
Sure. What’s fascinating about Francis’ revolution, and in addition Clare’s revolution, is wanting to construct a group, a group of equals. What occurs is that Clare is a lady who runs away from residence at 18 to affix Francis, and she or he merely desires to be like him. I imply, she desires to do what he does and construct a group of ladies which can be Franciscan ladies. However this isn’t potential for a lot of causes. So she fights on a regular basis in opposition to the church herself. She fights in opposition to the popes and cardinals to easily be capable to do what Francis was doing as a lady. The issue is that girls in medieval occasions have been compelled to dwell a cloistered life. In case you selected a non secular life, you needed to lock your self in a convent and disappear. And he or she didn’t need this.

She needed to go on this planet. She needed to journey and she or he was not permitted. She needed to go to the Holy Land. She needed to do all of the issues that Francis was doing and she or he was not allowed to as a result of she was a lady. So by some means her story turns into a feminist story and her combat turns into a feminist combat.

Let’s speak about casting Margherita as a result of I feel she actually carries the movie. I imply, it’s an ensemble movie, however I do really feel that her charisma on display is a large asset.

Nicely, to start with, Clare was 18 when she ran away. So, for me, it was essential that Clare be performed by an 18-year-old woman. I imply, I needed her to be younger as a result of the youth of those two characters, each Clare and Francis, is essential. I imply, they have been youngsters, they have been younger, and lots of people of all ages adopted them. After I met Margherita I fell in love along with her as a result of she was a toddler, as a result of she is a toddler. She has the identical frailties of a kid. She’s very small, and on the similar time she has very robust charisma. She’s very centered. She is aware of her place on this planet and she or he’s very calm. So in some ways she was Clare for me.

Speak to me concerning the robust musical facet of the movie with choruses and dance sequences in fields. 

After I was writing, I knew I needed to make them dance. I knew that I needed to go within the course of a musical as a result of, I imply, the movies that got here to my thoughts once I was writing have been “Hair” and “Jesus Christ Celebrity.” The Franciscans have been very completely happy and all the time they have been celebrating life and singing. The primary manuscripts we’ve got with songs are Franciscan. So, in fact, it needed to be a part of their story. Younger folks getting collectively and away from society and selecting poverty, selecting a easy life and celebrating, as a result of that’s the entire level. They have been like flower youngsters.